Cyclone Vardah damages Chennai cricket ground, but pitch safe: TNCA secretary

Cyclone Vardah damages Chennai cricket ground, but pitch safe: TNCA secretary

Photo: AFP (Representational)

Chennai: The fifth and final Test match between India and England will start as per schedule on December 16 at the Chepauk despite the severe cyclone Vardah that lashed the Tamil Nadu capital last evening.

Tamil Nadu Cricket Association secretary Kashi Viswanathan said that although centre strip and the outfield have not been affected by the cyclone, the sight screen has been badly damaged, the bulbs of the floodlights blown off, a number of air-conditioners also got damaged and those need to be set in order in the next two days.

"The assuring part is that the pitch and the outfield has not been affected by the cyclone. But sightscreen has been damaged. The bulbs have blown off, air conditioners damaged. There have been hundreds of tree trunks lying in the road leading upto the stadium. Our challenge is to set everything in order in the next two days. I am confident we will be able to set everything right," Viswanthan told PTI today.The veteran administrator also informed that like other years, three blocks will remain closed.