Washed out in Christchurch

The opening day of play in the first Test between New Zealand and Pakistan from the Hagley Oval in Christchurch has been washed out after persistent rain kept the covers on.
The Black Caps Jeet Raval had been set to make his Test debut but will have to wait for his first taste of cricket’s ultimate format.
The forecast for tomorrow is a little more positive than today with weather.com setting the chance of rain at just 10% with temperatures rising from the low teens to a high of around 17 degrees centigrade.
Play will start 30 minutes early on each of the remaining four days after the umpires called play off shortly before tea today.
The sun did make a brief appearance after lunch allowing the Pakistan players to conduct a game of football as a warm up but it didn’t hold and the umpires S Ravi and Ian Gould had no alternative but to call play off.
Pakistan have been unable to get any time out in the middle on this tour due to the weather with their three day warm up game being washed out in Nelson in the lead up to the Test.
The tourists have an excellent recent record in the land of the long white cloud having not lost a Test series there since 1985.
Latest
-
News
Olly Stone hopes to play a role in an England pace trio during this year’s Ashes
Stone hopes to play a role this summer along with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
-
News
Olly Stone ready for whatever role is required to make England World Cup squad
‘Any way in the England team, I’ll snap someone’s hand off,’ said Stone.
-
Women's Cricket
Dane van Niekerk ‘absolutely broken’ to miss World Cup over fitness standards
The South Africa captain was unable to complete a two-kilometre run in the minimum required time.
-
England
Run of defeats has not damaged England’s confidence, insists Moeen Ali
The all-rounder is confident England will be in good shape for the defence of their World Cup crown.
-
County Cricket
Lancashire sign New Zealand pair Daryl Mitchell and Colin de Grandhomme
The all-rounders will be available to play in the LV= Insurance County Championship and Vitality T20 Blast throughout the season.
-
England
Jos Buttler admits he needs to find his rhythm as England lose to South Africa
The hosts won the second ODI by five wickets to clinch the series in Bloemfontein.
-
South Africa
Temba Bavuma hits hundred as South Africa secure ODI series win over England
The Proteas chased down 343 at Bloemfontein to go 2-0 up in the three-match series.
-
England
Jos Buttler and Harry Brook give England hope of levelling ODI series
England reached 342 for seven against South Africa, with Buttler making 94 and Brook 80.
-
England
Jason Roy was never ready to ‘roll over’ despite year of setbacks and low points
Roy has for so long been England’s pacesetter at the top of the order but lost his place in the side.
-
England
England batter Jason Roy emotional after return to form in South Africa defeat
Roy’s slump with the bat led to him being dropped ahead of England’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign last year.