Rain forces cancellation of third ODI

Today's third one-day international match between West Indies and Zimbabwe in Guyana has been cancelled due to heavy rain since Tuesday.

Chris Broad, the ICC match referee, made the announcement late yesterday after an inspection of the Bordua ground. It was decided that the outfield was too wet for any possible play but Broad added that officials were "hoping that the weather improves enough to get play on Sunday".

The fourth match is set for the same venue on Sunday but more rain is forecast and that fixture looks bleak as well. The West Indies leads the seven-match series 2-0.

Chetram Singh, the long-standing president of the Guyana Cricket Board and a director of the West Indies Cricket Board, admitted officials had taken a chance with the scheduling of matches. Only once has an international match been scheduled in May in Guyana. Six years ago, Pakistan had the last two days of a Test against West Indies washed out.

Singh noted the reason for this is that May is traditionally one of the wettest months of the year in Guyana. "We all knew it was risky, but the schedule of this year's international fixtures has been changed so many times," he said. "Initially, India were to start our international season in mid-April when Guyana was slated to have the first Test, but the Indians changed their fixtures, so then it was Zimbabwe which came first and they were to play the two ODIs on April 29 and 30."

Meanwhile, Brian Lara declined to write off a struggling Zimbabwean side ahead of the remaining matches. "They are playing decent cricket. I think they've got a couple of very good, talented players in the team and something that they can work on for the future," he told Reuters. "I still think they are an international team, we expect them to compete and that's what they are doing."

An out-of-form Shivnarine Chanderpaul was hopeful that tomorrow's ODI would go on as scheduled. The venue is one at which he has had much success and Chanderpaul was keen to get back into form here. "It brings back a lot of good memories," he said. "Over the years I've done pretty well at Bourda. At a time when I'm struggling and hoping to regain some form, with the support and everybody behind you, you need something like that to help you go out there and perform well."

The West Indies had to cancel their Thursday afternoon net session at the Everest Club and Friday's planned training was also washed out. For Sunday's match, the hosts omitted Dwayne Bravo and Ian Bradshaw to bring in Sewnarine Chattergoon, the uncapped opening batsman, Dave Mohammed, the left-arm spinner, and Tino Best, the fast bowler.