The rain washed away more than the opportunity to crown a series winner — it robbed a fresh-looking White Ferns line-up of the chance to put themselves under more pressure.
The deciding T20 between the White Ferns and Sri Lanka in Dunedin today was abandoned.
The teams shared the series 1-1.
The White Ferns did get an opportunity to bat, though.
They faced 14.1 overs and posted 101 for three.
But a third shower rolled in and the game was axed.
White Ferns captain Suzie Bates described it as a lost opportunity.
"For this young group to have a series decider and to see that group under pressure would have been really great, but yeah, it is what it is," she said.
"Yeah, but pleased with how we went about it with the bat and tough conditions coming on and off.
"I thought Georgia [Plimmer] was outstanding with her tempo in that situation, and Izzy Sharp as well, in only her second, third game to come out and give it a bit of a whack as well."
It was a frustrating innings for the home side.
The forecasted heavy rain never arrived. Instead, it was replaced by skittery showers and it was one of those days when the sides were on and off.
Plimmer eased a drive through extra cover in the opening over to get her innings under way.
Later she lofted Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu over long-on for six.
Clean strike. Lovely timing. She was on top of her game.
Bates needed a little luck. She survived a caught and bowled opportunity on 14. Inoshi Fernando grassed it and then got clouted for three consecutive fours.
Plimmer was not about to be upstaged by her opening partner. She lofted Sugandika Kumari for another six over long-on.
That shot brought up the team 50.
"Anyone who’s been in the side with Georgia knows that she was going to be successful.
"The way she’s hitting down the ground, taking on the spinners, and just the maturity she’s shown at such a young age.
"But it’s no surprise to anyone who’s been around Georgia with the work that she puts in.
"And Dean Brownlee, she chews his ear off about everything cricket she possibly can, so she’s just going to get better and better."
But the rain arrived shortly after the White Ferns brought up 50 and forced the players from the field for 10 minutes.
The innings resumed just long enough for Bates (31) to slice a catch to Kumari off Athapaththu.
More overs were lost and any momentum the White Ferns had generated melted away.
Emma McLeod dragged one on shortly after the second resumption before rain cut the innings short again.
Plimmer’s undefeated knock of 46 from 37 balls formed the bulk of the tally.
But the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculators were not required.
Rain was the decider in the end.
The forecast is brighter for this afternoon but the wet outfield still delayed the start of the Black Caps' T20 against Pakistan.
The match got under way at 3.40pm as a reduced 15-over-a-side contest.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl.
The Black Caps dispatched Pakistan in the opening T20 of their five match series with ease.
