Persistent rain has washed out the opening game of the Rose Bowl Series between the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars and the New Zealand White Ferns at the SCG.
Having been sent into bat by Southern Stars skipper Jodie Fields in overcast conditions on Wednesday morning, the visitors progressed to 2-100 off 22.3 overs before rain stopped play for the second and final time at 12.48pm.
The three-game series will now shift to Blacktown International Sportspark on Friday and Sunday.
Australia will retain the Rose Bowl Series trophy with a win in either of the two remaining clashes, while the White Ferns must earn back-to-back victories to reclaim the silverware and trans-Tasman bragging rights.
Looking to regain confidence after three consecutive T20 INTL defeats at the hands of the Southern Stars, the tourists made a bright start when Frances Mackay (25 off 24) dispatched Ellyse Perry's (0-30) opening delivery off the day to the boundary.
Lucy Doolan (43 off 73) also found the rope with an early boundary before showers swept across the ground at 10.19am with the visitors at 0-23 off 4.3 overs.
After a 90-minute delay, the Kiwi openers continued to pepper the boundary rope, racing past 50 in the 10th over.
But Mackay was soon back in the pavilion when she flashed at Sarah Coyte's (1-19) first ball of the day and edged to Erin Osborne who took a sharp catch at first slip.
The visitors continued to score at five runs per over before Doolan was caught behind by Jodie Fields off Osborne (1-3), seven runs short of what would have been a deserved half-century.
Three balls later the players were forced from the field for the final time as the rain refused to relent, causing the match to be abandoned at 4.30pm.
