The Otago Cricket Association is $15,000 out of pocket after the twenty/20 match between the Otago Volts and Wellington Firebirds was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Sunday at the University Oval.
There were suggestions the game should have started as only light showers came across the ground during the first hour and a-half after the scheduled 4.10pm start, but the players did not take the field.
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Mike Coggan said it was very disappointing to get the rain.
''We have had such a good run of weather and on Saturday we had a great day. Right up until about 1pm [on Sunday] the weather was fine. The ground was in great nick but it just became too wet,'' he said.
''Ultimately the decision is made by the umpires and the match officials. They have a certain amount of time to get a game in and slowly reduce the overs as the game gets more delayed.''
Although it was only spitting for most of the time up to about 6.30pm when the heavens really opened, players could not just simply get out and play.
''It all comes under health and safety standards. Though they might like to get out there and play, the health and safety standards are quite high . . . it comes back to player welfare and through New Zealand Cricket and the Players' Association they have set the standards.''
He said the rain was just enough to be a nuisance and not allow the players to get out and play.
The game was also to have been televised by Sky TV, so it was disappointing it could not go ahead.
Otago Cricket would lose about $15,000 on the game as there were costs it could not get back.
The six major associations used to have insurance to cover rained-out games but it had become too expensive, and they decided against it this season.
Statistics show over the last five full seasons, only 11 days have been lost to the weather out of more than 100 days played at the University Oval.
The best year was in 2012-13 when just one day was lost at the Oval out of 26 days.
Otago does at least get two points from the abandoned game on Sunday and it has now registered some points, although it sits at the bottom of the table with a poor net run rate, following its heavy loss to Canterbury last week.
Otago takes on the Northern Knights in its next game, in Hamilton on Saturday.
The next game at the University Oval is set for January 2, when the Volts play the Northern Knights again.
Those who went to the game on Sunday can show their tickets at another twenty20 game in the region.
