Groundstaff worked overtime but ultimately could not cope

Rain ruined the NatWest Series contest between New Zealand and West Indies with no play at all possible.

It was hoped that the cricket could start just after 1630 BST in what would have been a 20-overs-per-side contest.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl first, and their all-rounder Darren Sammy would have been the first St Lucian in history to play for them.

"While I am disappointed, my turn will eventually come," he said.

"I really wanted to play because if I had shown what I am capable of doing, then who knows, I could have got a chance in the final."

Seconds before the players were due to run onto the field, a heavy shower finally put paid to any chance of play.

Kiwi all-rounder Chris Cairns, meanwhile, is set to shake off an ankle injury when the two teams reconvene at Lord's for the final on Saturday.

He said: "I am feeling pretty good. I'm looking forward to getting out and having a practice.

"A Lord's final doesn't come around on everyone's itinerary very often so I think everyone will be keen to play."

If we can win on Saturday it is another feather in the cap Chris Cairns

He said New Zealand, unbeaten in the series, should be happy to be favourites.

"It is a tag we need to become comfortable with if we are going to progress and become one of the best sides in the world.

"It would be nice to leave these shores leaving the memory of the fact we can play after the disappointment in the Test series."

Torrential rain through the night and on Thursday morning did not end until well beyond the scheduled start of the final round-robin match in a competition that had already seen the first two matches lost to rain.

But the umpires had been keen to get some play underway for an enthusiastic sell-out crowd of 10,000, and the groundstaff worked valiantly to remove surface water.

The two teams will meet in the tournament final on Saturday at Lord's where there is a marginally better forecast.

New Zealand: S P Fleming (Capt), N J Astle, H J H Marshall, S B Styris, C D McMillan, D R Tuffey, A R Adams, C Z Harris, D L Vettori, G J Hopkins (Wkt), I G Butler.