Suddenly, the momentum was with the man from Majorca and he looked ready to press home that advantage at 4-4, 30-30, only for the widely predicted rain to start falling.
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.
Only 43 overs of play was possible after rain delayed the start and returned to cause a further interruption in the early afternoon.
But its samples were collected in July, in the low season for tourism and at the start of the monsoon when rain would help to purify the water.
Crowds who had braved rain and storms to watch the start of the conclave on big screens in St Peter's Square cheered as the black smoke appeared.
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Rain began to fall at the start of the second set, but there was still time for Federer to break before play was suspended for 20 minutes - and when it resumed he secured the double break.
The situation for sheep farmers has been made worse because 2012 was also a bad year due to heavy rain and floods - and then the start of this long winter.
The match did not start until 1330 BST with a further 29 overs being lost to the rain in a match which weather has dominated.
After more rain delayed the start of the Hampshire innings, Jimmy Adams then departed to the first ball of the third over, to a skied pull off Mitch Claydon well caught by Ian Blackwell, running round from short fine leg.
For the moment there is no indication how long the ruling will remain in place, but with rain forecast until the start of next week, anyone planning a beach holiday to the Biarritz area should look elsewhere.
After heavy overnight rain caused a delayed start it looked a good toss for Durham captain Will Smith to win and so it proved as Onions removed Michael Carberry with the sixth ball of the game.
In response to a rain-interrupted 207-5 set by Durham, the target at the start of their innings was 197 in 31 overs.
Saluted by the Mets and the FDNY before the game, the 43-year-old Rivera, who plans to retire after the season, cracked a big smile as he threw out a ceremonial first pitch to Mets career saves leader John Franco following a 91-minute rain delay at the start.
The publicly-owned company said that a recent burst of rain had not resolved the issue as a sustained period of heavy rainfall was required to start replenishing the reservoirs.
The forecast calls for rain all day Sunday, but if the series finale is played, Dillon Gee is scheduled to start for New York.
The Environment Agency said rain falling on already saturated ground is likely to lead to flooding this week, although a clear start to Monday was forecast for south-east England.
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