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Cricket fans are waiting for one of the most anticipated clashes of the year – the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final – between India and New Zealand at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, starting from June 18.
While the Blackcaps recently leapfrogged Virat Kohli & Co. to occupy the numero-uno spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Rankings, India have lost just one series in the entire WTC cycle and that too against Kane Williamson’s men.
The overcast conditions are frequent in England and help swing bowlers. The weather can also be a bane in the WTC final since rain could play a spoilsport.
Here is a look at the weather conditions from June 18 to June 23, according to accuweather.com:
Day 1-June 18
Dark clouds will cover the sky on Day 1 with occasional showers and thunderstorms. Hence, it is highly likely that the playing hours might get affected.
Day 2- June 19
The conditions on Day 2 would be slightly better than that of the previous. Though clouds will help swing bowlers use their talent, thunderstorms won’t be a part of the game. There would be some rain as the day progresses, but only time will tell if it would force the players to leave the field.
Day 3- June 20
Rain would mar the encounter on Day 3. The weather forecast indicates that thunderstorms would also play a spoilsport. The wind would blow it around 13 km/hr, making the conditions unsuitable for a full day’s cricket. There can be a loss of overs due to the above factors.
Day 4- June 21
Day 4 would be better for the game’s proceedings than Day 3. This is because there would be no thunderstorms, and the weather would be partly cloudy.
However, gusts of winds would blow at horrendous speeds of 32km/hr, which could be a deterrent for some time.
Day 5- June 22
The weather would be mostly cloudy, with showers in the morning followed by rain in the afternoon. The evening would be a good time for the game, but it is likely that the play would go on to the reserve day.
Day 6- June 23 (Reserve Day)
If there is a considerable delay in playing hours or a substantial loss of overs, the game would go to the reserve day.
The weather is expected to be partly sunny with full-fledged action on June 23.
