Why can't cricket be rain-proof?

BRISTOL: On Friday morning, Zahid Aslam took a train from London Paddington to Bristol Parkway hoping against hope that he would be able to witness a full World Cup game featuring Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Zahid, a police officer in San Francisco (USA), is in Britain to watch the World Cup. An American of Pakistani origin, he is here to support Sarfaraz Ahmed and his men. Having watched Pakistan stun England at Trent Bridge on Monday, Zahid was sure that he would see the Pakistanis recording another win if the sun came out.

But his heart sank as he witnessed rain the moment his train left London. It was wetter and colder when he arrived in Bristol to the news that there was almost a cent percent chance that the game would be washed out.

"Why can't they have roofs covering cricket stadiums," he asked.

It is the one question on the minds of diehard cricket fans all over the world.

After all, covered sports facilities are not uncommon in international sport. Football stadiums have roofs, many tennis facilities are covered. In fact, there is a stadium in Melbourne, now known as the Marvel Stadium, which has hosted cricket matches among other events.

So can it be done?

It is certainly possible, but ask the experts and they will tell you that it is not feasible. At least not yet. That is because cricket, despite all its growth in recent times, is not as rich a sport as football. There is money in it, but not big enough money to afford retractable roofs at cricket stadiums. They cost a lot.

But for cricket buffs like Zahid, it isn’t a good enough reason to leave their beloved sport to the mercy of the rain gods. "It's too frustrating to give up everything to be at the game and all you experience is rain and more rain," he said.

Well, at the Bristol Country Ground on Friday, there was little else you could do.