South Africa vs Pakistan, 3rd ODI at Gqeberha, , Feb 09 2007 - Match Result

21.45 local time Game abandoned Play has been called off. That's that.

No more weather updates from me. Time to head home. This is Sriram Veera signing off. Ciao! Ok ... here ... one last joke. This one was from Sunil Gavaskar. Told to the presenter Charles Colville in Sharjah.

SMG: Why do wicket keepers make good lovers?

Colville: No Idea

SMG: Because they get up at the slightest opportunity.

Now I really got to get up and go home! Ta!

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Robert Morison sent us a warning couple of minutes ago. "Think everyone can pretty much turn off now,just looked at the weather front heading toward PE and it looks like somthing out of the movie "Independence Day"! No more cricket!! AArrgghh"

21.15 local time The pitch inspection will be in another 35 minutes time. Arrgh. Groan. But that's that. We have to twiddle our thumbs and wait .

Sohaib Syed is in a contemplative mood. "oh dear...the constant delays...aren't we cricket fans the most patient fans in the world for staying put for hours?"

Some of you have queried on Alvi's list and wondered how some of the more recent performances have been missed. I repeat this article was written in 2004.

More chuckles and giggles. This time from Shabir. "In a day night ODI, what is the definition of night? Can we go past midnight and still call it an ODI or does it change to TDI (two day international)"

And Falak is singing. "This scenario reminds of the lyrics of a ridiculously bad Anu Malik song: "dekho baarish ho rahi hai..it's raining...mera dil ro raha hai..my heart is paining" Pathetic song, but unfortunately very apt!"

yeah. I remember that song. Awful. Absolutely awful. And for reminding that song, you need to be made to watch it. Again and again.

20.41 local time No rain but it's still pretty wet out there. The officials are in a huddle. Rudi runs his right hand on the grass. Wet. Shake of head. Bit of wind is blowing. More wait in store for us. There will be a pitch inspection after 9.00 pm local time.

Pankaj jain is angry. "If play can not be permitted for wet conditions in the outfield, then why the hell they cover only the square. With so much money involved in cricket can't they cover the entire playing area?"

Zeeshan Khan is chuckling. "Two aliens were visiting Earth to research the local customs. They split up so that they could learn more in the time allowed. When they met to share their knowledge, the first alien told of a religious ceremony it had seen.

"I went to a large green field shaped like a meteorite crater. Around the edges, several thousand worshippers gathered. Then two priests walk to the centre of the field to a rectangular area and hammer six spears into the ground, three at each end. Then eleven more priests walk out, clad in white robes. Then two high priests wielding clubs walk to the centre and one of the other priests starts throwing a red orb at the ones with the clubs."

"Gee," replied the other alien, "what happens next?"

"Then it begins to rain."

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20.30 local time Rain has stopped but the outfield is not dry yet. Inzamam is out there with the umpires. So is Bob Woolmer. Both don't look too happy with the outfield. Can't risk a injury with World Cup just around the bend.

Feroz Khokhar mails a giggle across. "This "batch of clouds" should be awarded "Batch of the Match" award, it has stayed on the wicket more any batsman."

So, while we wait, here is some nostalgia. In a issue of Wisden Asia Cricket (now Cricinfo Magazine) in 2004, Sohaib Alvi picked the top 10 performances by Pakistan fast bowlers in Tests in the modern era.

Here is the list:

1) Imran Khan 8 for 60 (11 for 79) v India, Karachi, 1982-82

2) Sarfraz Nawaz 9 for 86 (11 for 125) v Australia, Melbourne

1978-79

(Australia's last 7 wickets fell for five runs in 42 minutes; Sarfraz's last

seven had come in 33 balls, and they cost him one run.)

3) Sikander Bakht 8 for 69 ( 11 for 190) v India, Delhi 1979-80

4) Shoaib Akhtar 5 for 21 ( 8 for 82) v Australia,. Colombo 02-03

5) Imran Khan 6 for 102 (12 for 165) V Australia, Sydney 76-77

6) Azeem Hafeez 6 for 46 (7 for 160) v India, Lahore, 1984-85

7) Wasim Akram 6 for 62 (11 for 160 ) v Australia, Melbourne 89-90

8) Waqar Younis 7 for 76 (12 for 130) v New Zealand, Faisalabad,

1990-91

9) Mohammed Zahid 7 for 66 ( 11 for 130) V New Zealand, Rawalpindi,

1996-97

10) Shoaib Akhtar 6 for 30 (11 for 78) v New Zealand, Wellington

2003-04

Kamran Younas slaps us with this. "Has the "small batch of clouds" grown then?!"

Ha! They have multiplied. It's going to one of those dark gloomy nights. Musical chairs. On ... Off ... On .... off. Uff!

Ali Masood sends us this gem. "The Directv announcer has left his mike on and has been blowing his nose on the air for the past 2 minutes. His partner says it can be a national nose test...not knowing the mike is hot."

19.37 local time It's pouring at the moment. Sucks. Kepler Wessels, former South African captain and the local boy, on air, was of the opinion that we shall get play at some point. He reckons it will be on and off but we should get in at least 20 overs of SA batting which will make this count as a game. We shall just have to wait and watch how it pans out.

Keith Lane, our man at the ground, says: "radar suggests one small batch of clouds. Behind that is very little."

Play suspended due to rain The covers are on. One more delivery left in the Pakistan innings. The musical chair continues. Nothing to do but wait.

It has started to rain again.

Brian Jerling, the third umpire says. " Play will resume at 7.20 local time. It will be 50 overs game."

The South African fielders are out there. Warming up under the cloudy skies. It appears as if the drizzle has stopped.

Good news Rain has stopped. The covers were peeled away. The rope is being used to mow down the outfield.

Dinner break called It is still raining.

Play suspended due to rain. The covers are on now. It is raining really hard now.