Bangladesh’s practice session in Colombo hit an unexpected snag on Sunday. Just as the players were easing into some light fitness and fielding drills ahead of their ODI series, a ground official marched up to head coach Phil Simmons and began laying down a sudden set of restrictions.
The concern stemmed from ongoing field maintenance, as the Test match had ended a day early on Saturday, prompting curators to begin fertilizing the wicket and watering the outfield.
The situation caused confusion among the players. There were quiet exchanges and a few visible signs of concern. Would the team be allowed to continue? That question lingered briefly.
Simmons explained that arrangements had already been made with the curator and ground staff. The practice plan didn’t involve use of the center wicket. It was to be a simple session: running, stretching, and fielding drills, all away from the main pitch.
Team manager Nafis Iqbal also stepped in, speaking directly with the official who had raised the objection. Eventually, a third person mediated between the parties. The misunderstanding became clear.
The ground official had not been informed that the team was only conducting fitness training and would avoid the center of the field. Once clarified, the tension eased. The mediator returned to Simmons, shook his hand, and asked whether a black sightscreen was needed. Simmons replied no — the team was using only white balls.
When asked about the field’s condition, the official confirmed that fertilizer had been applied the previous evening. Simmons assured him again: the players wouldn’t step onto the middle turf until it was dry. They would start with basic runs and move to the central area later, depending on how the field held up.
With that, the matter was settled. The players resumed warm-up exercises under Simmons’ supervision. Light jogging and stretching followed. The goal, it seemed, was to reset after the Test loss and shift focus to the limited-overs series ahead.
There was no formal statement issued by the cricket board or ground authorities. It ended as a simple misunderstanding, quickly fixed. A small moment, but one that could’ve snowballed. Instead, it quietly passed — and the preparation continued.
