NELSON: New Zealand ‘A’ and the visiting Pakistan side will try again on Saturday after day one of their scheduled three-day tour match in Nelson was washed out.

Constant rain on Thursday and continuing showers throughout Friday meant no play was possible at the Saxton Oval, forcing Pakistan to wait at least another day to kick-start their two-Test tour of New Zealand.

But New Zealand ‘A’ still had time to win the toss earlier in the day and decide to bat before play was officially abandoned at 2:45pm without a ball being bowled.

The tour opener is the perfect opportunity for the Black Caps batsmen in the New Zealand ‘A’ team Jeet Raval and Henry Nicholls to get an early look at an imposing Pakistan bowling attack.

However, with more rain scheduled for Saturday, any hope of getting out on the field for day two’s scheduled start is also looking increasingly remote.

Opener Raval will make his Test debut as a replacement for the woefully out-of-form Martin Guptill, with leg-spinner Todd Astle and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme also named in the New Zealand squad.

The first Test is scheduled to start on Thursday at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, while the second and final Test takes place at the Seddon Park in Hamilton from Nov 25.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2016