Southampton Weather Forecast, England vs Pakistan 3rd Test: Will rain, bad light hamper play at Ageas Bowl?

England and Pakistan are all set to battle it out in the third and final Test of the series at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton from Friday. With England leading the series 1-0, Pakistan will somehow have to find a way to fight back and level the scoreline, if the weather relents in the city this time.

Only 134.3 overs were possible in the 2nd Test which ended in a draw due to the repeated rain and bad light interruptions throughout the 5 days. The weather is expected to be a bit better than what it was in the previous match.

Fortunately, the third Test will feature revised playing timings to accommodate for poor weather conditions. This means that play can begin at 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled if time is lost due to bad light or rain earlier in the Test.

The ECB said that after the conclusion of play on the first day, the match referee, groundstaff and ECB Match Manager would discuss the start times for the next day and if the forecast looked good, play could begin early by 30 minutes. The morning session would last two and a half hours if the start times are adjusted, while a total of 98 overs will be scheduled for the day.

The ECB also said match officials would ensure that light is monitored to maximise playing time.

A draw or victory in the third Test would give England a first series win over Pakistan in 10 years and there is increased hope a result will be possible in Southampton after a frustrating, weather-affected second match last week.

England came from behind to beat West Indies 2-1 in what proved to be a thrilling test series in July. Against Pakistan, England leads 1-0 after a victory in the first test in Manchester

The schedule for the end of this year and early 2021 is still unclear for England, with no away games scheduled after this home summer and before Christmas after the limited-overs tour of India in September and October was cancelled.