At sunny MCG, prayers to ward off rain

On Thursday night, chances of rain according to the government bureau of meteorology till Sunday stood at 95%, with possible showers on the evening of the India-Pakistan tie.

It’s almost three. The five-minute walk from Jolimont Tram stop to Melbourne Cricket Ground—across the railway overpass leading to the road lined by statues of Neil Harvey and Australian Rules legend Jim Stynes—is a laidback affair. As it should be, one was told by a senior walking her dog.

Melbourne Cricket GAround(Getty Images)

Only, three days from now is a World Cup match between India and Pakistan but you wouldn’t know that standing at the feet of one of MCG’s gigantic floodlights. The ramparts are desolate, ticket counters firmly shut and just a handful of security manning important entry points. Certainly not the kind of picture you had in your mind.

An India-Pakistan World Cup match is always big. The last time India played against South Africa at the MCG in the 2015 World Cup, more than 86,000 had attended. The only reason explaining Thursday’s lull could be that India were travelling to Melbourne after a rain-marred preparatory leg in Brisbane. And probably bringing the rain along with them. Which was a bit surreal to believe considering the clear, sunny skies in Melbourne on Thursday. “One of the best days we have ever had in Melbourne,” says Sumit, a once-aspiring cricketer from Ludhiana turned taxi driver. “Melbourne sometimes has three seasons in a day but this isn’t usual,” he says.

‘This’ is La Niña, a multiple weather system building over the south eastern part of the nation over a few days. It’s a common occurrence during summer. But uncommon is the prediction—“rain , and lots of it”. Channel Nine had said the "impact days" for Victoria will be Thursday through to Saturday, according to senior meteorologist at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) Dean Narramore. But till eight in the night, Melbourne stayed dry.

It happens. Sumit says rain prediction can be tricky business if it’s under 70%. “But not if it’s around 90%. Then it’s bound to rain,” says Sumit. On Thursday night, chances of rain according to the government bureau of meteorology till Sunday stood at 95%, with possible showers on the evening of the India-Pakistan tie. Even Sydney, where Australia face New Zealand to kick off the Super 12 phase, risks a 100% chance of rain along with severe thunderstorms. Further up the eastern coast, residents have been warned of giant hailstones “bigger than golf balls”.

With several city suburbs already flooded, more storms could hit the stretch between Queensland (where it’s already pouring in Brisbane), to New South Wales, all the way down to Victoria. All in all, it’s a pretty gloomy forecast for the weekend and not the kind of build-up the International Cricket Council (ICC) would have hoped for. Tickets were anyway sold out in five minutes months ago. And Sumit knows some who have paid as much as AUD 300 (approximately ₹15,000) for it. The least everyone going to the game is praying for is the minimum five overs required to constitute a match since there are no reserve days during the group phase. But some are hoping against hope that the predictions are just wrong.