Rahkeem Cornwall’s illness deals double-blow to West Indies’ hopes

He was off the field on day two because of a chest infection and when he was back on the third morning, the playing conditions didn’t allow him to bowl

For three sessions amounting to 97 overs of India’s first innings, West Indies were unable to use their most dangerous bowler on a slow turner in Dominica. This was partly because Rahkeem Cornwall was off the field, nursing a chest infection, during the second and third sessions of day two, and partly because he wasn’t allowed to bowl during the first session of day three even though he was back on the field.

Cornwall couldn’t bowl on Friday morning because the ICC’s playing conditions for Test cricket require players to spend as much time back on the field (capped at 120 minutes) as they spent off it before they are allowed to bowl again. One exception to this rule is if a player suffers an “external injury” resulting from a blow suffered on the field. In this case the player can bowl as soon as they return to the field.

The umpires can also waive the requirement of penalty time if they feel the player was off the field “for other wholly acceptable reasons, which shall not include illness or internal injury.”

Illness was Cornwall’s reason of absence, which meant he had to serve out his 120-minute penalty time before he was able to resume bowling.

Cornwall’s absence had a significant impact on West Indies’ fortunes in Dominica. At the time he went out of their attack on day two, he had bowled 11 of India’s first 46 overs, during which time they had scored 128 for no loss in response to West Indies’ 150 all out.