India v New Zealand: Cricket World Cup semi-final to resume on Wednesday – as it happened

We go again …

Play will resume at 10.30am tomorrow morning. Resume? I realise I’m using the language of the Test match, simply because I’m not familiar with the vocabulary of the two-day ODI. Play will recommence at 10.30am tomorrow morning? Restart? Perk up? Stop hassling me, I don’t know!

Tomorrow morning it is. Same time, same place, same taking the pace off back of a length. Thanks for your company and emails; please join Simon in the morning. Bye!

Oh well, they did their best. New Zealand will resume in the morning on 211 for five from 46.1 overs. The forecast is better, at least until 10.30am around 2pm. DLS could still be the matchwinners.

There’s a lot of water on the outfield. I’ll be very surprised if this isn’t abandoned in the next few minutes.

No news yet on the 6.10 inspection. But as soon as somebody else reports what has happened, we’ll recycle the information like the crack second-hand news hounds we are.

If play is abandoned for the day, New Zealand will resume their innings. If it resumes tonight, India will start a 20-over runchase. Confused? Splendid. Now all I need is your sort code and the three digits on the back of the card.

It’s raining again. The covers are going back on, and it looks like the match will resume in the morning.

There will be another inspection at 6.10pm.

India won the 2013 Champions Trophy in a rain-affected T20 match, beating England in the final, but this is a little bit important. And there was no reserve day then, from memory.

Thanks Simon. Who knew a rain delay could be so intriguing? The consensus is that New Zealand would take their chances in a 20-over lottery tonight, whereas India will be desperate to come back for a full game tonight. We’ll soon find out which it is to be.

I’m overcome with excitement and going to step away for a short while. Rob Smyth is back in the interim. Bye for a bit!

It has stopped raining and the covers are coming off! There are large puddles in the outfield, though, and quite a bit of mopping up to do. Still, promising/disappointing signs, depending on your outlook.

“If matches continue to get rained off at such regularity, the future of England’s ability to host premier ICC tournaments will be called into question,” writes Mukundhan. “Don’t you think the commercial interests at play will arm-twist the ICC to hold such high-profile tournaments in countries with predictable weather patterns?”

I think in England everyone accepts that rain happens in summer, and that any summer sport that can’t be played when it’s raining will just have to deal with it. Those – and there are quite a few of them – saying that England shouldn’t be hosting the World Cup because it isn’t always dry are essentially ignoring centuries of sporting history, which strongly suggests that it is possible to play cricket here. Besides, the very great majority of games in this tournament have been entirely unaffected by inclement weather

There will, I’m told, be a pitch inspection at 6pm BST. If the umpires still need umbrellas at that point, it’s surely all over.

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Sky say the ground staff will need a full hour to remove the covers and mop up the outfield. So if my maths is correct, rain must cease in the next 25 minutes or we’ll be back for more tomorrow. However Sky add that David Boon might be able to magic a little extra time from somewhere if the weather improves soon after that point.

An update from New Zealand’s official account confirms that play must resume in the next 90 minutes if this game is to end today. It’s still raining pretty hard.

“If this reduces to a 20-over chase by India, this batting line up would definitely fancy their chances to get 148,” writes Rohit Singh. “Of course a full 50 overs to each side would have been the best possible scenario, unfortunately the rain Gods decided to intervene.” That’s what I like to see, a bit of positivity! Of course, the first reaction to seeing those amended targets was of course that they look a bit toppish. But however unfair it seems, this India side would surely back themselves to score seven an over for 20 overs against these opponents.

Latest from Manchester: it’s still raining, and it’s got harder.

“What happens if rain stops play altogether for the day?” asks Mark O’Brien. “Highest run rate, previous games played against etc? Topical debate in bar in Thailand at the moment.”

So if there’s no more play today, the game will resume tomorrow with (assuming there’s no rain in the morning) New Zealand completing their innings, before India bat their full 50 overs. If no play were possible tomorrow, India would go through to the final because they finished in a higher position in the group stage.

“Regarding the Commercial Considerations, the ICC might have its own agenda, but surely ensuring a fair game has to be a higher priority for the Match Referee?” writes Rohan. “Or does he consider anything dictated by DLS a ‘fair game’? Something to ponder for Mr. Boon!”

David Boon is, for clarity, today’s match referee. I’m not sure which team will go through from here, but I’m pessimistic about the prospect of sport being the winner.

Martin Sinclair, writing from south Manchester, says he has witnessed the sun. “Feel very sorry for India - their run chase feels unfairly difficult,” he adds. “I wonder if New Zealand choosing to bat first then playing within themselves to preserve wickets will prove to be master captaincy from Kane Williamson.” It’s starting to look either very clever or very lucky.

It’s still drizzling. My rain radar says it’ll continue to do so for perhaps another hour, and thus further play is unlikely until about 6pm BST. After that, though, it looks like there should be enough dry weather for a game to be completed. Albeit one that might make a lot of people quite angry.

“Surely there’s no greater Commercial Consideration than ensuring India reached the World Cup Final?” says Abhijato Sensarma.

It’s nearly not raining! With just a light drizzle now falling, a mop-up operation has begun (though the covers remain very much in place).

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Rain stopped play at 2.01pm, and only when more than two hours have been lost to rain are overs taken out of the game. As of five minutes ago, that threshold has been reached.

Karan Singh Dogra is unhappy. “India bowled well and stopped scores,” he says. “It is not fair that India should score 148 in 20 overs. Same overs same runs should be applied. Play the game with the spirit of game.”

Clearly that would be the most sporting outcome, and it strikes me that it would be immeasurably better for India to bat 50 overs tomorrow than 20 overs today. However, there will I’m sure be the dreaded Commercial Considerations to take into account.

This just in from Andy Bull, our man at Old Trafford. It looks to me like good news for New Zealand, who stand to benefit from any resumption today:

“The ICC are very keen to get this game done today if they can. Play can go on as late as 10pm tonight, because they’ve added a two-hour extension to the playing hours for the semi-finals. They need to start play by 8ish, but he rain is supposed to stop around 6 or 7 so I think we’ll get a game in. If India’s innings is reduced to 20 overs, they’ll need to chase 148. The target’s high, because New Zealand kept so many wickets in hand.”

“As a NZ fan, this drawn-out defeat is tortuous - can we not just throw the towel in now? Won’t someone please think of the children?” pleads Giles. No Giles, no they will not. And no you can’t. You’re just going to have to live through it like the rest of us.

“Is there potential for this rain to totally ‘SouthAfrica’ India?” wonders Si Begley. “India are set 148 off 20 today, go for it, reach 140/7 after 15, heavens open, they have to come back tomorrow to chase 237? Would seem massively unfair. And incredibly funny.”

There is no potential for such lunacy, happily/sadly. As soon as a ball is bowled after an over reduction, those conditions are set and unchangeable. So if they try to play 20 overs today but play is stopped after two deliveries, they will play only 19.4 overs tomorrow.

They can if necessary play until 8pm today, but 10.30am tomorrow is starting to look an increasingly likely resumption time.

Weather update: it is pouring in Manchester.

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“This is insane,” wails Sreekanth Nandakumar. “So India have to score 6 runs or more if the match is reduced to 35 overs or less on a slow pitch? How is it fair?” Certainly the rain has come at a good time for New Zealand, though they only benefit if play resumes today with a reduced over count.

Reporters on the scene have turned a bit pessimistic about the prospects of more play today:

Here’s a more complete run-down of potential India targets:

Assuming New Zealand’s innings ends here, India’s target in 46 overs would be 237. In 20 overs, which is the shortest it could be to qualify as a completed innings, their target would be 148. This is just over twice the total New Zealand had after 20 overs (which was 73-2).

World Cup regulations state that “every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day”. From which we learn that the ICC are not big fans of punctuation.

Hello everyone! Well, this is just great, is it not? The rain radar I’ve been looking at suggests that the weather is unlikely to significantly improve for at least a couple of hours, with around 6pm being a vaguely realistic amateur not-quite-total guess of a potential restart time. So settle in, we’re here for the long haul.

There won’t be any play for a while, so I’m going to take an unscheduled lunch break. Simon Burnton is waiting to watch the weather on your behalf. See you soon.

Don’t make any plans for tomorrow. The forecast for the rest of the day is imperfect.

“NZ may have the game in the bag,” says Siraj Khan, “if they are able to play their entire 50 overs and hit 240.”

That would be a very useful total. I think India will make the new ball count, though, and control the chase after that. If they get off to a slow start – 27 for one off 10, say – it’ll be very tight.

There is scope for a reserve day, but the umpires will try to finish the game today if they can. So India could end up chasing a DLS target in a reduced game - 21 from 20 overs, something like that. You can read more about the reserve days here.

46.1 overs: New Zealand 211-5 (Taylor 65, Latham 5) A misfield from Chahal gives Latham a bonus run. That’s the last ball of the innings, for now at least. The rain is getting heavier and the umpires have decided to take the players off.

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46th over: New Zealand 209-5 (Taylor 65, Latham 3) Latham gets two overthrows from the same delivery, one at each end. Virat Kohli’s face is a picture, and that picture will hurt you if you don’t stop looking at it. Seven from Bumrah’s antepenultimate over - five singles plus those two overthrows.

45th over: New Zealand 202-5 (Taylor 60, Latham 1) Despite everything, all the dot balls and mistimed strokes , New Zealand are inching towards a reasonable score.

Kumar ends a dangerous little partnership by dismissing Colin de Grandhomme. He produced a slower short ball which followed de Grandhomme, who tried to glide it to third man and got a little edge through to MS Dhoni. de Grandhomme made a useful 16 from 10 balls, adding 38 in 3.4 overs with Taylor.

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Ross Taylor has an LBW decision overturned on review! He missed a premeditated sweep at a full ball from Kumar and was given out by Richard Kettleborough. It looked plumb, and I suspect Taylor reviewed in hope rather than expectation, but replays showed it hit him outside the line.

44th over: New Zealand 197-4 (Taylor 56, de Grandhomme 16) Good afternoon Mr Taylor, we’ve been expecting you. After struggling for so long, Ross Taylor comes alive and, with a little help from de Grandhomme, smashes 18 from Chahal’s final over. A vicious slog-sweep for six brings up a laboured, 73-ball fifty, and two balls later he crunches a drive for four. de Grandhomme cuts another boundary to complete a superb over. Chahal ends with figures of 10-0-63-1.

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” says John Norris, “but I live 25 miles to the west of Old Trafford and it’s raining steadily here so seems unlikely to miss the cricket today which could have severe implications for NZ after their lethargic run rate...”

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43rd over: New Zealand 179-4 (Taylor 44, de Grandhomme 12) The groundstaff are poised for action, which suggests rain is imminent. Pandya drops short to de Grandhomme, who steers the ball deftly to third man for four. Nine from the over, and the wounded Pandya finishes with figures of 10-0-55-1.

42nd over: New Zealand 170-4 (Taylor 42, de Grandhomme 5) It’ll be interesting to see what the new batsman, the big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme, makes of this pitch. He has a swipe at Chahal, inside-edging past leg stump for two, during a decent over for New Zealand. They’d accept 220 now, and they’d thank Mother Cricket for it.

41st over: New Zealand 162-4 (Taylor 40) Pandya must be a doubt for the final, should India get there. He’ll bowl his 10 overs and bat if necessary, but he’s still not right.

Andrew Hurley has a simple thought: “I miss Pakistan.” Seriously, though, imagine them today. You’d get two games for the price of one: India v Pakistan, and Pakistan v Pakistan.

Pandya strikes! Neesham tried to go over the leg side and mistimed the ball miles in the air towards long on, where Karthik took a comfortable catch. There have been many mistimed strokes in this innings, and every time somebody tries to go up a gear they get out.

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40th over: New Zealand 155-3 (Taylor 38, Neesham 7) Taylor survives a possible run-our chance, with Kohli’s throw missing the stumps for the second time today. We haven’t seen a replay so I’ve no idea whether he would have been out with a direct hit.

Four singles from Bumrah’s over, and here’s more from Butch.