Play was delayed for four hours because of persistent rain in the morning and was eventually reduced to 25 overs.

BBC: SPORT | Cricket | Windies halt Bangladesh

Persistent rain meant no play was possible in the morning session but they got underway after an early lunch.

BBC: Clarke leads Warwickshire revival

Persistent rain in Colombo meant the entire tournament being played at Dambulla, which lies 86 miles north east of the capital.

BBC: Dambulla back in business

They found some of the sites under construction almost completely surrounded by water from the flooding that has followed two days of persistent rain.

BBC: Monastir is still under construction

But persistent rain had turned the pitch into a midweek lottery, with the players raising spray with every kick and passes stopping short of their targets with frustrating regularity.

BBC: Blues maintain Premiership push

In the neighbouring state of New South Wales, rivers swollen by weeks of persistent rain are expected to start bursting their banks this weekend amid downpours across the region.

BBC: Queensland floods: Recovery will be 'hell of a job'

Councils have urged the government to set up an emergency fund to help pay for millions of pounds of repairs to roads damaged by the persistent rain and flooding in recent months.

BBC: UK floods: Disruption threat receding

PAUL, Minn. (AP) A fourth-grade field trip to a Mississippi River park popular with fossil hunters turned deadly Wednesday when gravel saturated by persistent rain gave way, killing one child and injuring two others.

NPR: 1 Child Dead, 1 Missing In Minn. Park Landslide

After persistent rain during the day had caused a 20-minute delay, and severely curtailed the opening ceremony, England were put in to bat and raced to 100-0 from 11 overs thanks to Luke Wright (71) and Ravi Bopara (46).

BBC: Superb Netherlands shock England

Parts of north Wales and the Midlands have been hit by more persistent heavy rain, which will move across the Midlands as Sunday progresses.

BBC: Saturday's record temperatures not beaten