The rain is forecast to affect New Zealand's super eight matches against Sri Lanka, England and the West Indies. Each of those games is scheduled to be played in the central highlands at Pallekele. According to local meteorological websites, rain is expected on six afternoons of the next eight, including the three dates New Zealand is scheduled to play.
The seasonal rains were not expected until later next month but have already truncated matches in Colombo and Hambantota, including a farcical seven-over-a-side affair between the home side and South Africa.
The forecasts raise two issues.
Why was the tournament scheduled so close to the monsoon season, and is the DLM capable of crunching the numbers fairly in T20 cricket to deal with it?
The International Cricket Council has defended its scheduling, saying there was no other available period to play the games in their Future Tours Programme. Curiously, several games at the previous Twenty/20 World Cup in the West Indies during April-May 2010 were played in Guyana, as that country headed into its peak rain season, too.
Sri Lanka, which was awarded hosting rights for this tournament in 2007, has organised just one international series in the month of October since gaining test status in 1982. That was a five-match ODI series against England five years ago in which all matches were completed.
However, the 2002 Champions Trophy final in Colombo was affected by rain on September29 and the following reserveday, meaning India and Sri Lanka shared the title.
The super eight round of the Twenty/20 World Cup starts tomorrow. The semifinals are on October 4-5 and the final is on October 7.
If a deluge disrupts, the other concern is the DLM capabilities.
There is a perception in the New Zealand team that it does not cater well to T20 cricket. The team is looking at forecasts and for any sign of dark clouds rather than other cricket variables like the pitch to decide whether it bats or fields.
Coach Mike Hesson said any sign of rain meant the tables favoured the side batting second.
"Against Bangladesh we wanted to bat first but then looked over the back of the ground and saw the clouds building. To be fair, the Duckworth-Lewis Method and T20 cricket just don't work together. The side batting second has such a distinct advantage that [had we won the toss against Bangladesh] we would have considered chasing just for that reason.
"At the moment they use the same formula for both formats [ODI and T20] which completely undervalues a wicket in T20. The other day, with Bangladesh chasing 192, it only made five runs difference if they had been four wickets down after six overs as opposed to none down. If you're talking available resources, which the DLM is based on, that just doesn't make any sense."
Andrew Alderson flew to the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka courtesy of Emirates Airline (www.emirates.com/nz).
Rain drops kept falling on his head
The West Indies qualified for the super eight stage without winning a game after the match was abandoned.
Ireland reached 129 for six after the match had been reduced to 19 overs a side before the rain returned. The West Indies was then set a revised target of 44 from five overs, but the teams were unable to take the field again.
The West Indies has not had an opportunity to play a full game in the group stage as its match against Australia was also stopped by rain.
"The most important thing is we're through to the super eight and we're looking to improve our games. We didn't have a complete game," captain Darren Sammy said.
Australia, which beat the West Indies on the Duckworth-Lewis method in the other group match, had already qualified for the next stage.
The West Indies will be in group one in the super eights along with host Sri Lanka, New Zealand and defending champion England. Sammy's team will play England tomorrow night.
- Reuters.
