THE future of the game was uncertain as a lengthy spell of rain mean the covers came out and the players went to the pavilion early yesterday evening. India were chasing down a modest target of 194 and were unable to bat.

It was a disappointing turn of events but it has to be said the crowd was also disappointing, perhaps reflecting the high price of the tickets �335.

India's skipper, Rahul Dravid, won the toss and elected to put the hosts into bat. And it turned out to be a sound decision as Ireland struggled with the ball swinging and they soon lost an early wicket when Kenny Carroll edged one to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik who took a diving catch off the bowling of Sree Sreesanth for seven with the score on 14.

But an emerging stand of 34 between William Porterfield and Dominick Joyce lifted Ireland's spirits briefly, only for them to be dashed again when Joyce, who was then on 18, and beginning to look a bit more comfortable, edged a catch off Sreesanth's outside his off stump, which was eagerly snapped up by Sourav Ganguly at second slip. .

Nine runs later further disaster struck Ireland when the in-form opener Porterfield who is rumoured to be on the move to Gloucestershire was yorked by swing bowler Ajit Agarkar.

Porterfield had made 16.

Next to go was newcomer Gary Wilson. Wilson was one of the new faces in the side filling in for players who were unavailable after their heroics in the world cup.

He was completely deceived by a classic googly from Piyush Chawla and departed for 13 and the leg spinner then had Kevin O'Brien lofting a dolly catch to RP Singh at square leg to leave Ireland precariously placed at 83-5.

And Andrew White became Chawla's next victim, out for 8, when he was offered an inviting welltossed-up delivery outside his off stump, which he edged to the waiting Karthik, who made no mistake with the score on 111 -6.

Wicketkeeper batsman Niall O'Brien, the hero in Ireland's World Cup campaign had settled well and had begun scoring steadily and he and skipper Trent Johnston shared the best stand of the day for the 7th wicket putting on a quick free-flowing 48 before O'Brien skied one to Sharma at mid off from the bowling of RP Singh and departed for 52, which turned out to be the top score of Irealnd's innings. .

Kyle McCallan did not last long bowled by RP Singh for four, with the score on 168, and then Johnston went, caught by Yuvraj Singh off the bowling of Sreesanth for a useful 34. The Ireland innings ended on 193 when Roger Whelan was caught of the very last ball by Karthik off Sachin Tendulkar.