Joe Root’s plan for an extra pre-World Cup hit out was scuppered after the First ODI against Ireland was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Morning rain at Headingley forced a delayed start to the series opener and while the drizzle had largely stopped by early afternoon, the match umpires remained concerned by soggy patches on the bowler’s run-up at the Pavilion End during a series of inspections.
Play was eventually called off shortly before 5pm, despite several hours of dry weather, to the dismay of the Headingley crowd, who greeted the decision with boos.
England have chosen a second-string squad for the three-match series, with the majority of those named in a 15-man World Cup squad resting before they fly to India for that tournament next week.
The exception had been Root, who was added to the squad for this match at his own request as he searches for form following a scratchy run in the recent ODI series against New Zealand. Despite the washout, it is understood Root is unlikely to play in either of the two remaining games, at Trent Bridge on Saturday and then in Bristol next week.
The match was also due to be Zak Crawley’s first as an England captain, the Test opener having been handed the honour of leading the side in Buttler’s absence.
“I was pretty hopeful to be honest, I saw the forecast earlier this morning and thought it would stop raining earlier than it did,” Crawley said. “So I was very disappointed that we didn’t get a game on.
“It was just the run-up this end, really. It wasn’t fit for play and I think that was probably right in the end. It was very wet and would have churned up if we’d played on it. It wouldn’t have been fit for the bowlers. It’s disappointing.”
While the rain in Leeds had been persistent, there were only brief periods in which it came down heavily and questions will be asked over how a run-up area that had been under covers got wet enough to force an abandonment.
“I’m not sure what happened there, because it was covered up, the bit that was wet,” Crawley added. “This time of year it doesn’t dry as well as at other times of the year.
“We were unlucky with the weather leading into the game and then rain all this morning as well. I’m not sure there’s anymore the groundsmen could have done, they worked very hard to try and get the game on.”
