The groundsman of the R Premadasa cricket stadium in Srik Lanka has received praise from cricket lovers around the world for his innovative approach to dry the oval.

The game between Sri Lanka and India was well underway when a sudden, heavy downpour forced the players to stop and sent the grounds crew scrambling to cover the pitch. Once the rain stopped, the crew was spotted using big sponges to soak up the water from important areas near the pitch and the bowler’s run-up.

Nevertheless, the umpires ruled that the oval was unplayable.

Undisturbed, the groundsman brought out a sell-assembled, rollable metal frame with three large fans attached to it.

The plan seemed to work but the moment the umpire came out to re-assess the surface, more rain started to come down.

The game will now be continued on Monday. Meanwhile, the dedication and work ethics of the grounds team of the R Premadasa stadium in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, has won the praise and admiration of million who watched their efforts live on TV.