Ten metres to Canterbury's left, Otago looked out on the same grey skies with broad grins and probably imagined it was rupees rather than rain tumbling to earth.
Heavy rain on Saturday night and Sunday morning left the ground sodden and, when a late shower dampened the surface further, shortly before 5pm, common sense prevailed and the match was abandoned.
With no reserve day scheduled, Otago was crowned champion and has probably booked itself a spot in the $12 million Champions League in India in October.
New Zealand Cricket has been in negotiations with the tournament organisers and was confident Otago would be invited to compete in the lucrative tournament.
"I think it is exciting," Otago coach Mike Hesson said with a content smile.
"We've tried not to think about it too much because we hadn't won, but we have now.
So it is something I don't want to miss, that is for sure."
The weather robbed the victory of some emotion but the Otago team did a lap of the Oval and clapped its supporters.
"It's unfortunate [the match was abandoned] but we're delighted," Hesson said, adding Otago had been the best team and was a deserved winner.
A crowd of more than 2000 waited patiently for the cricket to start.
A helicopter hovered over the dampest spots for more than an hour in an effort to dry the ground.
But ultimately it was in vain.
Groundsman Tom Tamati said 74mm of rain had fallen in a period of nine hours before the game and when he arrived at the venue at 6am "it was under water".
Canterbury coach Bob Carter was disappointed a match was not possible but remained philosophical.
"Obviously, we are disappointed because we would have liked a reserve day," Carter said.
"But we were aware that there was no reserve day so that's what you live by.
"It was good to see two South Island teams in the final and good luck to Otago. I hope they go to India and do well."
Carter said New Zealand and Otago Cricket had done everything they could to get the game started.
NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said logistically it was difficult to schedule reserve days.
"Reserve days are often easy to say but hard to do," he said.
"It would have been great to have a proper final. But we've got to schedule a whole season and can't schedule reserve days for all our games.
"It is unfortunate, but we've got a worthy winner."
The game could have started as late as 6.10pm with the match reduced to five overs per side.
"I think that would have been a shame with such a lot at stake," Hesson said.
