IT WAS the band Travis who asked: “Why does it always rain on me?”

So, it was somewhat ironic that after a dry Glastonbury and following two ODIs where England have tumbled New Zealand’s wickets quicker than Tory seats, the weather delayed the start at Bristol’s County Ground today in the third and final game of the series.

Grey overcast skies, drizzle and a wet pitch just about summed up the mood in the Conservative camp ahead of tomorrow’s general election — somewhat sombre, let’s put it that way; and the rain just got heavier.

Fourteen years of this despicable lot in their pinstripe suits has been about as welcome as the dreich that greeted fans with hoods pulled over their heads in the West Country. But at 2-0 the game, much like Rishi Sunak’s crowd, was a dead rubber anyway.

The umpires went out to inspect after half an hour but had to open their brollies as they squeezed toes on the turf. England skipper Heather Knight had won the toss ahead of the delay and elected to bowl first.

The side’s spinners had taken 15 wickets in the first two games of the series and with the covers down they were hoping for the sunshine to break through the clouds as they sat tense and eager to get going in the stand.

The ground staff took the covers off, then put them back on again. Twice.

England had rotated a few of their side with Sophia Dunkley coming in for Danni Wyatt, Sarah Glenn for Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell for Lauren Flier after big nine-wicket and eight-wicket victories previously.

They were still talking among each other an hour-and-a-half later, kitted up and ready to go, before they finally walked out onto the pitch at 2.35pm with the game reduced to 42 overs a side.

Kiwi openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer weren’t in any mood for hanging about and soon set about the seamer Kate Cross with Bates whacking her for four. Both sides had felt that the moisture in the air would help the bowlers but the first wicket to fall was when Plimmer was run out on 7.

Bates hit five boundaries before being caught behind by diving Amy Jones off Cross for 24 and the run rate dropped off as Amelia Kerr and skipper Sophie Devine got pinned down. But they eventually started hitting out and brought up the ton by the 20^th over. Devine was just seven short of her half-century when Bell clean bowled her and Maddy Green then quickly walked when Cross got her lbw for just 5.

The Kiwis were 124/4 after 26 overs with Kerr 37 not out when the Star went to print.

England and New Zealand meet again in the first of five T20 internationals in the multi-format tour on Saturday at Hampshire’s West End ground. They’ll be hoping that the dawn comes up as bright as everyone believes the morning will bring.

Listen out for the sweet blackbird song. The clump of leather on willow… or maybe even the strains of Fran Healey coming from a boom box in the dressing room.