On this day in 1998, cricket witnessed one of the shortest Test matches in history, a fleeting encounter between West Indies and England at Sabina Park, Jamaica. The match met an abrupt end after a mere 61 deliveries due to the perilous condition of the pitch, marking the first instance in the 121-year history of Test cricket where a match had to be abandoned for such reasons.
In the initial Test of the England-West Indies series, the English team found themselves struggling at 17 for 3 after 10 overs, with Alec Stewart managing the highest score at 9 runs. The team’s physio, Wayne Morton, made multiple appearances on the field in just over an hour, underscoring the challenging circumstances.
As Nasser Hussain stepped onto the crease, reports suggest that Stewart greeted him with the words, “It’s Saturday, it’s eight o’clock, it’s the lottery.” The game reached its premature conclusion when umpires Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Steve Bucknor, displaying courage, called off the match due to the unsafe playing conditions.
The Jamaica match stands as one of the briefest Tests in cricket history, lasting just 62 deliveries. England’s innings at 17 for 3 saw Alec Stewart standing strong with an imperious, unbeaten 9. The umpires’ bold decision to halt play reflected the paramount importance of player safety amid the hazardous pitch conditions.
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