Sydney rain puts Australia’s World Cup bid in peril despite win over New Zealand
Much like it did in the recent BBL final, rain is threatening to play a part in a major cricket tournament in Australia, with the suddenly-ebullient Aussies anxiously looking to the skies ahead of their Women’s T20 semifinal.
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Australia’s quest for back-to-back T20 World Cup trophies is now as much in the hands of the weather gods, as it is in their own.
After defeating New Zealand by four runs at Melbourne’s Junction Oval, the Aussies are Sydney-bound, where two semi-finals will be played on Thursday at the SCG.
But rain could completely and utterly spoil the party.
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According to the Bureau of Meteorology, there is an 80 per cent chance of rain on Thursday – forecast to be between 15mm and 30mm – most likely in the afternoon and evening.
The ICC has not scheduled any reserve day for the two semi-finals and if there is no play, the two top teams from each group will automatically qualify, sending heartbreak through the Australian camp who finished the group stage in second place behind India.
A double-header of semi-finals has been scheduled for Thursday, with the top-placed sides in each group playing the second-placed sides from the opposite group.
One game is scheduled for 3pm, the other at 7pm.
The Aussies, as tournament hosts and its biggest drawcard, would play the evening game.
If the games are cancelled, the final at the MCG on March 8 would be played between India from Group A (who beat the Aussies in the opening game), and South Africa (on the proviso they defeat the West Indies on Tuesday, otherwise, England will finish top of Group B).
Recent rule changes by the ICC mean that a minimum of 10 overs must be played in each batting innings for a legitimate game, making rain delays harder to fit in.
It’s understood, however, that if the afternoon game is cancelled, the evening game could still go ahead.
Should the games be rained out, it seems a cruel way for the green and gold to be knocked out of the tournament after they have fought back from early poor form to now look like real contenders.
The ICC has scheduled a reserve day of play for the final at the MCG on International Women’s Day and if that game is rained out, it would instead be played on Monday, March 9.