25 June 2004	Friday	06 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

MANCHESTER, June 24: Rain ensured no play was possible in the one-day triangular series opener between England and New Zealand at Old Trafford here on Thursday.

Both sides were awarded three points each for a no result after the umpires finally decided to abandon all hope of play in what should have been a day/night match at 1700GMT.

It was the fifth time in their last 10 One-day Internationals that England had suffered a complete washout. And a further two games in their recent tour of the West Indies were weather-affected.

Thursday's no result was the first time since the June 17, 2001 match between Australia and Pakistan at Chester-le-Street that a One-day International in England had been abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The last time that happened to England in England was against New Zealand on May 21-22, 1994 at Lord's, where despite having a reserve day, no play was possible.

West Indies, the third team in the series, are due to make their tournament debut in the second game of the competition, against New Zealand, at Edgbaston on Saturday. -AFP