It is a wonder cricket was invented in this country for the game was never meant to be played in the weather that enveloped Birmingham all yesterday and has given the British summer such a bad name.
The warm, bright sunshine of Friday had given way to low, leaden skies, persistent, if light rain and chilly temperatures by the time the West Indies left their hotel for Edgbaston for their opening match in the one-day NatWest Series against New Zealand.
Except for brief breaks in the showers, the conditions never changed all day. Yet, somehow, two sessions of play were possible before the match was finally abandoned without a decision.
When it was, New Zealand was better placed at 97 for two after 13.4 overs, seeking an amended target under the Duckworth/ Lewis system of 140 from 21.
It was further frustration for both teams but more so New Zealand. While not a ball was bowled in each of their previous matches, the West Indies' was a warm-up against Middlesex last Wednesday, New Zealand's the first in the triangular NatWest Series against England on Thursday.
Once more, the team shared the three points. In the circumstances yesterday, it was appropriate there was no result.
The West Indies headed 40 miles north to Nottingham last night to try again today with their second match against England when, according to the forecast, the skies will be brighter.
Yesterday's start was delayed for three hours, 40 minutes before the drizzle relented for 10 overs off which openers Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, sent in, scored 39.
The rain then returned to stall proceedings for a further two hours and only sympathy for the 5,000 or so hardy souls who remained huddled in the stands prompted umpires Rudi Keortzen and Jeremy Lloyds to order a resumption.
The equation was accordingly altered so that the West Indies' original allocation of 35 overs was reduced to 21.
On a pitch freshened by the damp and offering the faster bowlers extravagant movement, they raised 122 for four principally through Brian Lara's 36 off 21 balls that included four fours and a six off successive balls off the big medium-pacer, Jacob Oram.
It was a cameo of improvisation that revealed a rare side of the left-hander's exceptional class.
A nightmarish opening over by Ravi Rampaul, a 19-year-old boy saddled with too much responsibility as the leader of an inexperienced attack, immediately confirmed Lara's worst fears, expressed at the pre-match media conference, that his bowling was unreliable.
It was prolonged to 12 deliveries by four wides and two no-balls and cost 18, including a long six over long-leg and a four to New Zealand's captain Stephen Fleming.
It obliged Lara to replace Rampaul with Jermaine Lawson and a wonder catch off his first ball by Ricardo Powell, hurling himself full length to his left at point gather Fleming's Exocet missile square-cut, lifted spirits again.
Lawson also claimed Nathan Astle to an edged slip catch, reward for a brief spell of controlled pace that was one of the highlights for the West Indies.
By then, the drizzle had restarted and the outfield increasingly resembled an ice rink.
It was clearly to the disadvatage of bowlers and fielders and, eventually and inevitably, the umpires abandoned the match with Hamish Marshall and Scott Stryris both going well for New Zealand and Rampaul half-way through his comeback over.
Rampaul's problems of consistency are a cause for concern. He was taken for 74 from seven overs in the earlier loss to Ireland in Belfast and was clearly tense and lacking confidence yesterday.
His plea prior to the tour for a bowling coach was a cry for help from a young bowler with potential that has been evident since he was spearheading the under-15 team to its equivalent of the World Cup in England four years ago.
He himself, if not coach Gus Logie, should be immediately seeking it. Michael Holding and Ian Bishop are both commenting on the series on television, are on the spot and available.
It appears that Chris Gayle has had advice on his stance and heeded it.
His wide stance in the series against England and Bangladesh in the Caribbean attracted plenty of comment.
The obvious observation was that it prevented him from being properly balanced and from using his full height. Someone observed that the left-hander at the crease resembled a giraffe at a water-hole.
There was a noticeable tightening of the stance yesterday, with profitable results. The feet were closer together and the back not as crouched.
On the type of pitch that examined his technique more than most, Gayle was relaxed and assured. Among his six fours in 30 were a peerless off-drive, a sweet stroke off the legs through mid-wicket and a ferocious square-cut that whistled to the distant boundary.
Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith (at No.3) and Gayle were out within three runs of each other in the second session when all out attack was required.
Their demise allowed the spectators a brief but exciting glimpse of Lara whose method was to move in either direction across his stumps before conceiving his outrageous strokes, mainly behind square on the leg-side and once flashed over the ropes behind square on the off.
But Lara and the batting is not the worry.
The bowling and, even if the grass was slippery, the ground fielding and throwing is.
The time to get it right is now, against England, at Trent Bridge today.