Read the article of Australia vs New Zealand 15th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1980/81 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 15th ODI match played between New Zealand and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 21st January 1981.
Rain stopped the play after Greg Chappell's all-round display in the 15th match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Sydney's unpredictable sporting public again presented a poser for officials when 20,223 turned up to watch the inconsequential Benson and Hedges World Series Cup match between Australia and New Zealand at the SCG.
With both teams in the final series that begins next week, the result of yesterday's match was academic. It is doubtful 'whether even the most optimistic officials expected the number of spectators who thronged to the sun drenched ground early today afternoon as threatening storm clouds built up in the west.
Test matches this summer have struggled to attract 20,000 spectators to a day's play and Sheffield Shield games have been a dead loss as far as crowds are concerned.
It appears that the public wants one-day matches, even when they have little real significance. Unfortunately for those who turned up, some having paid $10 a seat, rain prevented any play after the dinner break and the game was called off at 8.30 without a result.
Officially the game will go down as a draw and the $3000 prize money will jackpot to the final series. This leaves Australia on 13 points, New Zealand on 11 and India on 6.
Australia, after a slow start by openers Allan Border and Graeme Wood, looked set for a big score when Greg Chappell set about demolishing the Kiwi attack after Wood had been caught behind. It was by no means classic Greg Chappell, but when he finally hit an easy catch to Mark Burgess in the covers he had run up 74 and advanced Australia's total to a healthy 149-9.
Border made 40 but the rest of the Australian batsmen failed to go on with the job in a somewhat undisciplined run chase.
Australia's last six wickets fell for only seven runs and they lasted only 43.1 overs. This allowed New Zealand 29 minutes batting time before the dinner break at 6 pm. This proved to be their only stint at the crease.
Chappell, bringing himself on in the seventh over, had opener John Wright caught behind to have New Zealand 23-1 as the players left the field. Heavy rain fell during the dinner break and continued throughout the evening preventing any resumption of play.
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