Rain is the scourge of cricket. It has the capacity to whip up conflicting feelings. Players may feel that it has rescued their team from looming defeat or denied them of certain victory.

Spectators may feel the same way but will not have the cover of a pavilion or dressing room in which to shelter. Furthermore, they are likely to feel deprived of part of their entrance fee. These feelings used to be commonly associated with cricket in the British Isles. This may still linger, given the wet start to the 2024 county cricket season, but it is no longer universally the case.

In the UAE, of all places, a year of rain is reported to have fallen in 24 hours, from late Monday to Tuesday. At 3 p.m. on Monday it was as dark as the night. Some reports suggested that cloud seeding was the cause, but why might that have been deployed at that time of year? The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that the Earth recorded its hottest March on record, the 10th consecutive month to reach that feat. These all-time monthly highs were observed both in the air and in water. The Copernicus report judged that the temperatures were the result of decades of human-caused warming and El Nino climate patterns.

Obtaining a consensus on the causes seems beyond reach, although data points to an extraordinary surge in temperatures around the planet. This may stop once El Nino patterns end and temperatures cool. It is not yet possible to know if a fundamental shift has occurred in the Earth’s climate. In this uncertain moment, longer-term decisions have to be made by those responsible for running cricket.

An example of this is real in Worcester, England. Since 1896, Worcestershire County Cricket Club’s home has been at New Road, nestling under the watchful eye of the neighboring cathedral. This provides it with iconic status in the eyes of the cricketing world. The ground also sits on the west bank of the River Severn which, in recent years, has flooded with increasing regularity. This season, the county’s first two matches cannot be played there because the ground has not recovered from the winter’s flooding. Instead, they will be played at Kidderminster, 25km north.

The increased frequency and severity of flooding is causing the club’s management to assess alternative options to sustain its future. Amongst these are improved flood-alleviation measures and a move away from New Road, a prospect that is anathema to many supporters. The city is mindful of what happened to its soccer and rugby teams. The former moved grounds in 2013, resulting in a nomadic existence for a decade and a drop of three levels in the game’s pyramid. Its rugby team entered receivership in October 2022.

This sorrowful tale, thrown into stark perspective for Worcestershire CCC by adverse climate events, differs from the effects of adverse weather in other parts of the world. In the UAE, the effects were to cause the cancellation of a quadrangular tournament between the women’s T20 teams of the UAE, the US, the Netherlands and Scotland in Abu Dhabi. This was planned as a warm-up event before the ICC women’s T20I qualifying tournament in Abu Dhabi, set to open on April 25. Players have been deprived of valuable match practice, but that deprivation pales against that suffered by local residents.

During the Asia Premier Cup in Oman, there was rain, not of UAE proportions, but sufficient to disrupt some matches. The urbane curator of south Indian descent, Annop C Kandy, remarked that he had rarely seen rain in his eight years in charge and would normally expect temperatures in the 40°C range during April — an antidote to notions of a warming planet. He also revealed that whatever rain did fall came from the west and was short-lived. Unusually, this rain was from the south and southeast.

It caused much work for the curator and his staff, who coped admirably, notably when placing covers over the pitches during heavy windy conditions. Six of the 24 matches were shortened, two to 18 overs, two to 15 overs, one to 11 overs and one to eight overs. The last one affected Saudi Arabia and Nepal, with the latter winning with four balls to spare. It will never be known how the match would have played out if 20 overs had been possible.

Given that international cricket is now played around the world throughout the year, it should be no surprise that the probability of matches being affected by adverse weather has increased. It also seems that the severity of the impact is increasing. A recent example of this has occurred in Scotland. Unprecedented poor weather delayed pitch preparation at a ground near Dundee where a Cricket World Cup League 2 tournament between Scotland, Namibia and Oman was postponed. Originally due to take place between May 2 and 12, it is now scheduled for July, with the agreement of the three countries and the International Cricket Council.

It should not be forgotten that the 2023 Indian Premier League final was affected by rain in Ahmedabad. The match was originally scheduled to be played on May 28, but was postponed to the reserve day, May 29. This was the first time that the IPL final had been postponed because of adverse weather. Chennai Super Kings’ response was delayed for over an hour by rain and then the target adjusted with the innings being reduced to 15 overs. This outcome for a showpiece final was not ideal.

Although rain is regarded as cricket’s traditional bete noire, other climate issues have begun to be felt. During the ODI World Cup in India last November, extreme heat levels affected players, as did very high levels of air pollution, especially in Delhi. Cricketers and their administrators can do little to prevent the causes of these problems. What they are faced with is the need to devise and adopt measures which ameliorate the impact of climate issues and enhance the game’s sustainability. This may be about to get more difficult.

MADRID: Rafael Nadal will play in the Madrid Open despite not being fully fit and didn’t seem too optimistic about his chances of being ready for the French Open next month.

The 37-year-old Nadal said Wednesday he would not play in Paris if he arrives there feeling the same way that he is feeling ahead of his opening match in Madrid this week.

“The sensations haven’t been perfect this week. If it wasn’t Madrid, maybe I wouldn’t play. But there are a lot of emotions involved,” Nadal said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the following three weeks. I’ll keep fighting and doing the things that I think I need to do to play in Paris. And if it’s possible, then it’s possible. If not, then not. I’m not going to play in Paris the way I’m feeling today. It it was Paris, I wouldn’t be playing.”

Nadal has said this is likely his farewell year on tour, and is hoping to be competitive one last time at Roland Garros, where he is a 14-time champion.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has won a record five times in Madrid, with his last title in the Spanish capital coming in 2017. He is scheduled to debut on Thursday against 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch.

“Hopefully I can play without many limitations,” Nadal said. “Then we’ll see what happens. If I play without limitations, even if I lose, then it will be positive.”

Nadal, who had hip surgery last summer, lost to Alex de Minaur in the second round in Barcelona in what was his first tournament in more than three months.

“The goal is be on court. Enjoy as long as possible,” he said. “I mean, that’s the thing. Try to finish the tournament alive in terms of body issues, and enjoy the fact that I will be able to compete one more time in the professional tour and here at home in Madrid, a place that give me everything, no, in terms of support.”

He said he is giving himself “a chance” and hopes to “find better feelings” in his body going forward.

“I don’t lose hope. I just accept the situation that I have today,” Nadal said. “I mean, I am not playing bad. It’s about more body limitations. ... That’s not allowed me to compete the way that I would like to compete.”

WOMEN’S DRAW

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka earned her first win on clay in two years by defeating lucky loser Greet Minnen 6-4, 6-1 in the first round.

Osaka had eight aces and faced one break point for her first clay win since beating Anastasia Potapova in the first round in Madrid in 2022.

“There’s a basis to my game and I want to stick to that, but also respect the court,” said Osaka, who returned from maternity leave in January. “It’s a work in progress for me, but I’m watching a lot more matches on clay, I’m trying to do my homework as best as I can.”

Qualifier Jessica Bouzas Maneiro rallied to defeat fellow Spaniard Paula Badosa 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 to earn her first WTA 1000 main-draw victory and improve her 2024 record to 30-7.

“The tennis level is there, but I need to recover emotionally,” said Badosa, a former No. 2 in the world. “Every week is a disappointment. I’ve been at the top and it’s tough to see myself at the bottom right now.”

American Sloane Stephens beat Martina Trevisan 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, while compatriot Bernarda Pera lost 7-5, 6-2 to Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Maria Lourdes Carle posted her first WTA 1000 victory by defeating 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-2, 6-2, while Italian qualifier Sara Errani beat former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.

MEN’S DRAW

Luciano Darderi defeated two-time Madrid quarterfinalist Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-2 to set up a meeting with 12th-seeded Taylor Fritz.

Alexander Shevchenko beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 and will be the second-round opponent of two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Jaume Munar, Mariano Navone and Taro Daniel were also winners in Madrid on Wednesday.