First Test: Rain washes out day three in Cape Town, but drought-hit locals find joy

Rain prevented any play on the third day of the first Test between South Africa and India at Newlands on Sunday.

Steady rain fell for most of the morning, although the sky brightened shortly before the scheduled lunch break. The rain was expected to stay away in the afternoon session but the showers were intermittent through out and every time the covers came off, the drizzle was back on. Eventually, play was called off.

It was reported before the Test that Cape Town’s worst drought in decades may take some of the sting out of the Newlands pitch for the first Test. There was some unseasonal light rain last Sunday and Monday – about four-and-half millimetres in total – but not enough to break the prolonged drought.

Locals, of course, did not mind the rain at all.

There were sympathisers among Indian cricket followers as well.

There are times when cricket has to take a back seat and this surely was one of them.