Rain stops Ireland's play-off with Scotland

IT was probably too wet to plant rice on the outfield of the Kilat Club yesterday when the ICC Trophy third-place play-off between Ireland and Scotland was called off at lunch time. Only 19 overs had been bowled in a match that will decide which of the teams plays in the 1999 World Cup, and if a minimum of 21 more are not bowled today Ireland will take third place on a countback of previous matches.

A prompt start gave Scotland, who were asked to bat, time to lay the foundations for a competitive score in reaching 56 for the loss of opener lain Philip. Ireland looked good in the field, though, and there was a sense of control coming from the middle that led coach Mike Hendrick to nominate it as his team's best seam bowling performance to date.

Paul McCrum beat the bat a couple of times and thought he had induced a leg-side tickle from Dougie Lockhart in the second over long before Philip steepled one to Neil Doak at cover.

Mike Smith was just beginning to find his timing when the rains came and, very much a mood player, he could cause Ireland problems if it is possible to resume today. Messrs Duckworth and Lewis, the new gurus of rain-ruined matches could cause far more problems.

If the match, as seems likely, is reduced in overs, an artificial target could require Ireland to score at nearly double the rate Scotland have managed to date.

The precipitation may be relentless but at least it isn't predictable. As the games have floated by lreland have had overnight rain delaying the start, afternoon showers taking them off and back on, afternoon storms followed by an abandonment.

Now morning rain which the locals feared was of the "carry on" variety but which stopped soon after lunch to give some encouragement of a resumption today. Yet of all the rain that has fallen in the last three weeks in Kuala Lumpur none has been as wet as the ICC's original decision to hold their World Cup qualifying tournament in such a climate.

The Malaysian bid, which beat one by Canada, stated that in March and April they experience the "odd day" when it rains for half an hour but play can resume 10 minutes after it stops.

This may well be true of the "odd day", but on the average day it rains for considerably longer and the only play that follows is of the paddling pool variety as demonstrated yesterday when Mark Patterson rolled up his trouser legs to pose ankle deep in a small lake at deep square leg.

The best part of an extra day off will give Derek Heasley a chance to recover from a touch of sun-stroke he picked up after Ireland's semi-final against Kenya.