Rain could yet become as significant an influence as Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara at the cricket World Cup.
Australia almost became the latest victims of South Africa's recent bad weather on Thursday.
Ricky Ponting's team only escaped with all four points from Potchefstroom thanks to a police helicopter -- used to help blow-dry the pitch -- and their co-operative opponents.
The Dutch amateurs could have justifiably argued the soggy surface was not fit for cricket but instead voted unanimously to play, determined to enjoy their big day against the world champions.
One match, however -- West Indies versus Bangladesh -- has already been rained off, depriving Carl Hooper's side of two certain points against weaker opponents.
Two other games, including the pivotal Group B encounter between New Zealand and South Africa, have also been affected by downpours, leading to revised run chases.
With no time to replay first-round matches, the weather could have a big influence on team prospects right up to the semifinals, according to Australia coach John Buchanan.
"Teams going through to the Super Sixes would like to take a maximum of 12 points," Buchanan said. "In our situation, assuming we qualify, it [a rained-off game] potentially brings our points back closer to the other teams.
"Therefore it's more bunched and alters the dynamics of the whole Super Six section."
Teams take four points from each victory against fellow qualifiers into the Super Six second phase, as well as one point for each win against eliminated sides.
Buchanan added that some teams hoping to qualify for the second round "might not even get there" because of bad weather, adding, "If they do get there it means it's life on the edge and they just can't afford to lose another game."
The West Indian wash-out at Benoni on Tuesday had already had a significant effect on South African chances of staying in the tournament.
Shaun Pollock's team lost two of their first three games, leaving them reliant on other results to avoid an early exit.
But the West Indies' misfortune means they will now almost certainly qualify just by winning their last three matches, whatever other results. Pollock said the rain had given his team "a lifeline."
Bad weather has had a huge effect on the cricket World Cup before.
In 1992 it played a large part in deciding both finalists.
Pakistan, the eventual champions, lost three first-round matches but were saved by the rain against England after being bowled out for 74. Had they lost that game, they would have been eliminated at the first hurdle.
South Africa, meanwhile, well-placed in its semifinal against England, was robbed of a chance of victory as rain cut short the match.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS