Cricket: Rain gods frown on Stags

It was good for the farmers and it certainly would have added some moisture to the ground but the burning question is how good was it for the cricketers?

Outgoing Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags coach Alan Hunt will be the first to admit the country is long overdue for a wet day in the mother of all summers for more than 15 years.

Basically any hopes the Stags have of making the playoffs rests on other results after their round seven game against the Wellington Firebirds at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, like others, was abandoned due to rain yesterday.

"For us to make the top four is out of our control now," Hunt said last night before CD jetted off to Christchurch this morning to play their last round match at Hagley Oval against the Canterbury Wizards on Wednesday.

Effectively, CD will be praying for the Firebirds to lose to Northern Districts Knights at home while captain Kieran Noema-Barnett and his defending champions need to bag a bonus-point victory.

"It isn't impossible. If Wellington slip up we can work our way past them," Hunt said.

Few will hold their breath, though, because once a team's fortunes rests in other teams' hands then the outcome simply becomes a lottery.

Seamer Doug Bracewell was returning to the Black Caps' fold to be in contention for the third test against the touring England side in Auckland from Friday, Hunt said.

Spinner Marty Kain is likely to come into the CD side but the talking point for the Stags has been the dumping of veteran Mathew Sinclair.

Auckland (Aces 23pts) and ND (20) have secured the top two positions with Canterbury (17) and Wellington (15) following.

Only the Otago v Wizards game saw any action yesterday.