David Leggat: Weather refuses to play ball for die-hard cricket fans

A hopeful fan waits patiently for the rain to clear. Photo / photosport.nz

Among the endless fascinations about children is that if you give them a ball and room to run around, they don't care about the rain.

Out the back of Eden Park yesterday, after drizzle held up play in the first test on the main oval, youngsters took part, with plenty of relish, in a range of activities organised by New Zealand Cricket to mark family day. Not just cricket either.

They're easy to please at times like this, and it burns off a bit of energy, just what parents like.

Inside the several hundred spectators sat, or stood, glumly as nothing happened after the first 2.5 overs, at which point the rain sent the players off. And that was that.

There's been a fair bit of the wet stuff in this test, more's the pity.

Then again cricket and rain could be a popular link in a word association game. It rained at Eden Park three years ago yesterday too. Not for as long, but it added to the drama of New Zealand's World Cup semifinal against South Africa.

Had it not rained South Africa would probably have been out of sight. Instead, New Zealand, chasing a revised 299 got there with a ball to spare in 42.5 overs. Brendon McCullum smeared 59 in 26 balls, as was his way, and Grant Elliott ensured his name will be writ large whenever great days of New Zealand cricket are discussed.

The roar when he slugged Dale Steyn deep into the stand at wide long on ran round Eden Park for several minutes. South African players were in tears. A seasoned Australian journalist, one of the most fair-minded of that bunch, reckoned it was the best ODI he had seen anywhere.

This test has two days to run. There have been a grand total of 26 overs in the last two days, and yet, courtesy of the spectacular opening day of pink ball cricket in this country, New Zealand will still have a cracking opportunity to win the match provided they are good enough and the weather plays ball.

Is more play lost to rain in cricket than any other game? Golf has its risks with the lightning conductors the players wield.

But there are few more depressing sights than light rain falling with a bunch of spectators patiently waiting, with their book, radio or knitting to keep them company.

Cricket fans are a resigned group, who accept their lot with good grace, most of the time.

At one point in mid-afternoon you were tempted to lean out the window and bellow across the ground: ''go home'', or "get ye to Ed Sheeran'', with the British singer performing across the city at Mt Smart Stadium. Both would have been better options than what transpired, or not if you're no Sheeran fan. The call was finally made at 6.30pm, which was unquestionably a "TG for that'' moment. Let's try again today.