Eyebrows may have been raised when the Irani Cup was called off with Vidarbha needing just 11 runs for an outright win, but one of their senior players, on Sunday, insisted that the decision was mutually taken.
Rest of India skipper Ajinkya Rahane and his Vidarbha counterpart Faiz Fazal settled for a draw after the dismissal of Ganesh Satish on 87, when the hosts were 269 for five, in pursuit 280.
Vidarbha became the third side after Mumbai and Karnataka to retain the Irani Cup for the second time, on the basis of their 95-run first innings lead.
The decision, which seemed incomprehensible, left everyone wondering if the on-field umpires faltered in calling off the game, but the Vidarbha player, said nothing like that had happened.
When asked whether it was the umpire's mistake, the player replied in the negative.
The player also claimed that the hosts decided to settle for a draw after Ganesh Satish failed to reach a three-figure mark.
"No, no it was nothing like that. We (Vidarbha) had taken the first-innings lead. The mandatory overs had started and we were waiting for Ganesh Satish to get his hundred, but unfortunately he got out. So (after that) both the captains agreed and the game was called off," the player said on conditions of anonymity.
Asked specifically whether Rahane approached Vidarbha to settle for a draw, another source from the Vidarbha Cricket Association replied, "No, there were no talks (over it)."
An experienced umpire, affiliated with a state cricket association, also said that after the mandatory overs start and if the two captains "mutually agree", then the umpires cannot intervene.
The umpire, though, said that ethically the match should have continued.
According to BCCI law 16.1.6, "On the final day, if both captains (the batsmen at the wicket may act for their captain) accept that there is no prospect of either side achieving a victory, they may agree to finish the match after (a) the time for the commencement of the last hour has been reached OR (b) there are a minimum of 15 overs to be bowled, whichever is later."
Campbell gets first call-up for West Indies ODI squad
John Campbell, Carlos Brathwaite and Sheldon Cottrell have been called up to the West Indies squad for next week's first two one day internationals against England.
The changes to the 14-man squad were made due to injuries to opening batsman Evin Lewis, as well as allrounders Keemo Paul and Rovman Powell.
It is Campbell's first call-up for limited over cricket. The 25-year-old made his test debut in the just-completed series against England, which West Indies won 2-1.
He scored 176 runs at an average of 35.2.
Brathwaite, who hit Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes to secure West Indies' victory in the final of the 2016 World Twenty20 against England, has played 28 ODIs and 35 Twenty20 internationals.
Cottrell, a left-arm pace bowler, has appeared in six ODIs and 10 Twenty20 internationals.
The first two matches of the four-match ODI series will be played at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday and Friday.
Farbrace to step down as England assistant coach for Warwickshire role
England assistant coach Paul Farbrace is to leave his role at the end of the ongoing tour of West Indies to join county side Warwickshire as sport director, England's cricket board (ECB) said on Saturday.
Farbrace, 51, has been an influential figure since joining the backroom staff in 2014 and was set to play a key role as England seek to win the 50-overs World Cup and the Ashes series against Australia on home soil this year.
"I have been fortunate to taste some genuine success and be part of the development of some excellent players, who have the world at their feet this summer," Farbrace said in a statement.
"There is never a great time to leave an international set-up and despite what will be a fantastic summer for English cricket, the opportunity to shape the future of one of the game's biggest counties was too much to resist."
"It would have been tough for me to have turned down the opportunity once Warwickshire showed an interest in me."
Former wicketkeeper Farbrace will succeed Ashley Giles, who left Warwickshire to become managing director of England men's cricket last month.
Last year, Farbrace said he would be "thrilled" to take over as England coach when Trevor Bayliss leaves the job after the Ashes series.
He will work with head coach Jim Troughton, with Warwickshire back in the top flight of the county championship after winning the division two title last year.
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