Sachin Tendulkar was supposed to ring the bell to signal the start of play on Day One of the second Test at Lord's yesterday. However, rain ensured he couldn't do the honours at the spiritual home of cricket
Groundsmen sweep rain water off the covers on Day One of the 2nd Test between England and India at Lord's. Pic/Getty Images
India cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was supposed to ring the bell to signal the start of play on Day One of the second England v India Test at Lord's yesterday. However, rain ensured he couldn't do the honours at the spiritual home of cricket. It is learnt that Tendulkar waited patiently at the Member's End as there was hope of some play when the weather cleared briefly, but things turned for the worse once again.
Now, the bell will be rung today by former England captain Ted Dexter as Tendulkar will be returning to India today. "Was all set to ring the bell at Lord's to start off the 2nd Test today, but unfortunately the weather had other plans. Hopefully, we'll get to see some good cricket over the next 4 days," Tendulkar later wrote on his Twitter handle.
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Agencies add: Early morning overcast skies in north London eventually gave way to gentle but persistent rain which was sufficient to ensure the pitch and square remained fully covered. The match had been due to start at 11:00am, but with rain still falling and the skies above Lord's increasingly dark, the umpires called it a day at 4:50pm (1550 GMT).
It was the first time a whole day's Test play in England had been lost to bad weather since August 24, 2013. The last time a Test day's play was washed out completely at Lord's was 17 years ago — on the opening day of the 2001 England v Pakistan Test.
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