Wet outfield and rain forced the abandonment of the third day's play without a ball being bowled in the fourth and final Test between India and the West Indies here today.
No play was possible at the Queen's Park Oval for the second consecutive day after the outfield repairs were undertaken in a bid to dry it out, but rain intervened even before the process could be completed.
The sun was shining brightly in the morning but the outfield was still moist.
As such, the umpires got the groundsmen to start repair work and they dug out a whole array of grass patches in a bid to let some moisture off the surface. The intent was to roll the patches once dried to make them fit for play.
The first inspection of the day was scheduled at 11.30 am local time and thereafter covers were brought on.
The threat of rain materialised soon enough and puddles formed on the outfield even as the bowlers' run-up areas were covered this time around.
However, the ground just did not seem to drain at all forcing the day's play to be called off at the second inspection at 12.30 pm local time, with lurking fear that the last ball in this fourth Test might have been bowled already.
On day one, rain had hampered proceedings with the West Indies placed at 62/2 (22 overs) at lunch, after winning the toss.
Kraigg Brathwaite (32 not out) and Marlon Samuels (4 not out) were unbeaten at the crease with Ishant Sharma (1/7) and R Ashwin (1/22) being the wicket-takers.
Ishant dismissed Leon Johnson (9), caught at short leg by Rohit Sharma, while Ashwin bowled Darren Bravo (10) with a beautiful off-break delivery.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/13) and Mohammed Shami (0/14) were the other bowlers deployed.
On day two, while the rain had stayed away, a wet outfield had meant that no play was possible.
India lead the four-match series 2-0, after winning the first Test in Antigua by an innings and 92 runs, and the third Test in St. Lucia by 237 runs. The second Test in Jamaica was drawn.
The visitors need to win this match in order to retain their world number one position in the ICC Test rankings, but that now looks a remote possibility with Pakistan poised to take over the top spot.
Brief Scores:
West Indies 1st Innings: 66 for 2 in 22 overs (Karigg Brathwaite 32 batting; Ishant Sharma 1/7, R Ashwin 1/22).
(REOPENS DEL 71)
They did well to keep the five-man Indian attack at bay in front of a 20,000-plus crowd, the best turn-out of the match so far.
Hameed was extremely sound with his technique, did well to duck the short ball and got into his position playing the copybook forward defensive shot.
India bowled in good areas but surprisingly the fourth day wicket which was perceived to be a rank-turner held firm as the English openers played each ball to its merit in their fight for survival.
On a hat-trick, Ashwin was brought in the fifth over but Cook played him without any fuss, while Hameed held firm as England managed to keep themselves unscathed in the second session.
Hameed who was run out in the first innings, was very solid in defence as India looked for something special to dismiss the 19-year-old.
Earlier at the stroke of noon, India's second essay folded for 204 in an extended lunch session with the last pair of Jayant Yadav (27 not out) and Mohammad Shami (19) putting on 42 runs from 58 balls after Virat Kohli struck a glittering 81.
Kohli batted with his class and majesty stroking out shots all around the park in his knock from 109 balls, studded with four boundaries but before he could notch yet another century Ben Stokes' one-handed catch at the slip ended his stay.
Looking effortless all around the park, Kohli went for an expansive powerful drive throwing his bat wide of his body as the ball looped high in the air and looked as if it went past the giant frame of Stokes at the slip.
Having caught Kohli in the first innings from the same position, the English all-rounder displayed some freakish reflex leaping high, throwing his body in the air before clinging on to the ball with his right hand behind his body in a high-class stuff.
With Kohli showing some frustrated emotion going back, Stokes remained non-chalant but by then the lead had surpassed 350 and Jadeja started playing freely to step up the run-rate.
Kohli departure after Stokes' brilliance saw India losing two more -- Ravindra Jadeja (14) and Umesh Yadav (0) -- without any addition to the the tally.
(RPTNG AFTER MAKING CORRECTION IN PARA 6)
But Mohammad Shami slamed a 22-ball 19 studded with two sixes and one four as he along with Jayant Yadav (27 not out; 4x4) added 42 runs from 58 balls in an extended lunch session.
India's second innings folded for 204 in 63.1 overs after Moeen Ali (1/9) ended Shami's quickfire innnings.
Earlier a brave Stuart Board led England's fightback as he claimed with 4/33, while legspinner Adil Rashid returned with 4/82 but they struggled to dismiss the tail with some counterattack by the duo of Shami and Jayant.
Defeat looking imminent, the embattled England found some solace in Stuart Board's incisive bowling after India resumed in the penultimate morning on 98/3.
The tall pacer defied a strained tendon in his right forefoot and bowled a fine spell of 8-0-27-2, dismissing the overnight batsman Ajinkya Rahane (26) and Ravichandran Ashwin (7).
As his partnership with Kohli began to grow, Rahane was done in by an unplayable delivery that seemingly rose awkwardly from a crack before kissing his gloves and was caught by Cook.
Broad may have broken the stand at 87, but the sharp bounce and the crack was a welcome for sign for Indian bowlers and concern for the English batsmen who would bat last on a worn-out Dr YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium pitch.
Having survived on six after a successful referral, Ashwin did not last long and became Broad's fourth victim edging one behind the stumps.
