Australia spinner Alana King did her best to laugh off being forced to help ground staff unfold and run out covers with her teammates as wild weather hit the second ODI against the West Indies in Melbourne amid questions over the lack of ground staff.
Players risked injury as they joined a five-person Junction Oval staff in an attempt to protect the pitch from further damage in farcical scenes as the match ended in a draw with just 25 overs bowled.
West Indies players quickly moved inside after rain interrupted the match for a second time on Thursday afternoon, but the entire Australian team sprinted to the boundary as they fought to preserve their strong grip on the ODI series.
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They had reduced the visitors to just 8-107 after 25 overs following a more than three-hour rain delay, which had shortened the match to 29 overs per side.
Wrist spinner King saw the lighter side of the situation despite the struggles covering the pitch.
“(I’ve done it) a fair few times at club cricket,” she joked.
“I think it’s just trying to help out the ground staff as much as we could – they were a bit short today, so just trying to make it light work and everyone just chipped in.
“I was wondering who was going to get flipped first with the massive gust of wind … we tried our best but unfortunately the rain just got too much.”
Destructive West Indies captain Hayley Matthews returned from injury but it mattered little as Australia again ripped through the visitors’ batting line-up.
After her incredible exploits in the T20 series, Matthews was sorely missed in the first game as her side was skittled for 83, but an almost identical scene unfolded in rain-affected conditions in Melbourne as Australia tore through the visitors.
Matthews and opening partner Rashada Williams made a fast start, but the game turned after the West Indies star chopped a Kim Garth delivery onto her stumps.
The dismissal triggered a stunning collapse from 0-34 to 8-81, as King’s inclusion despite the soggy conditions paid off in spades with a three-wicket haul.
King ripped a flighted delivery past the outside edge of Stafanie Taylor to bowl the West Indies star before she trapped Shemaine Campbell in front of her stumps.
Annabel Sutherland followed with three strikes of her own to mark her 22nd birthday in style, claiming 3-6 from her five overs.
The two sides shook hands before 4pm on Thursday after match officials decided play would no longer be possible due to the mix of wet weather and poor light.
To the frustration of the Australians, less than 20 minutes later the rain had stopped and the sun was shining over the ground.
