DUCKETT'S THUNDER WASHED AWAY

Rain ruins lightning ton and England onslaught

- DEAN WILSON

ENGLAND'S summer met a watery grave in Bristol as a lone rain shower proved too wet for the ground to handle - meaning a fourth no-result in a row.

In what was surely the fastest abandonment in living memory, England's batters were halted in their tracks in a way that Ireland could only have dreamed of after coughing up 280 runs in 31 overs.

Ben Duckett had already raised his bat for a maiden ODI hundred from just 72 balls and looked ready to add plenty more against an Ireland attack begging for mercy.

But, with the ground already damp from overnight rain that is entirely to be expected in late September, and with the groundstaff sluggish at best in getting the pitch and square covered, the umpires made a swift call.