Drainage upgrade coming after another AB Field washout

Queensland and Victoria split the points after today's Marsh One-Day Cup clash was abandoned without a ball being bowled capping a frustrating week of washouts for the two sides.

Just 76 overs were possible across the four days of their Marsh Sheffield Shield clash at the same venue earlier this week, with not a ball bowled across days three and four.

Another 20mm of rain overnight left large puddles on an already saturated field, and state captains Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb agreed there was zero chance of being able to play on the surface.

"It's just is what it is, March in Queensland," Khawaja said today. "We're normally not playing at this time of year.

"When you get a lot of rain in this ground it just holds it. That's why they're trying to resurface it next year. But we've had rain for three weeks in a row. That's what's cooked us."

The issue has highlighted the need for improved drainage facilities at the venue that sits adjacent to Cricket Australia's National Cricket Centre, with work to begin on the long-awaited improvements later this year.

Queensland's next fixture is a Shield clash with South Australia starting on Tuesday at the newly redeveloped Ian Healy Oval, where drainage is far superior to the current set-up at Allan Border Field.

The redevelopment of the two venues is creating an $18.6m National Cricket Campus project across the two sites, with the work at AB Field the third and final stage of the project.

The venue, which has regularly hosted Meg Lanning's Australian team for international cricket as well as men's and women's state cricket and Rebel WBBL games in recent years, will be see its boundaries expanded by 13 metres, which will see it comply with ICC standards for international cricket.

New drainage and turf are key components of the upgrade, as well as more terrace seating and a new electronic scoreboard.

Other improvements being made as part of the project include extending the centre wicket block, while the Ray Lindwall Oval, or 'top oval' at the venue will be receive five new training wickets, including a "subcontinent preparation pitch".

Work is expected to start in June and take about eight months to complete.

Next week's Shield match at Ian Healy Oval will see it become the 12th venue in Queensland to host first-class cricket after it was opened last year.

"If we win that we'll be pretty close to making the final," Khawaja said.

"Every game is a big game for us coming to the back end of the season. We've got two Shield games left before, hopefully, a final if we're good enough, and same in the one-dayers.

"So hopefully the weather stays away and we get some cricket."

Today's washout took Queensland to second on the Marsh Cup table, behind NSW who have played an extra game.

With Queensland's next Marsh Cup fixture also set down for AB Field next Sunday, it is imperative the Bulls are able to force a result there or risk being leapfrogged by either Tasmania or South Australia for a spot in the Marsh Cup final.

Remaining Marsh Cup fixtures

March 23: Western Australia v Victoria, WACA Ground, 1pm AEDT

March 28: Queensland v South Australia, AB Field 11am AEDT

March 31: NSW v Queensland, North Sydney Oval, 2pm AEDT

April 8: Victoria v South Australia, Junction Oval, 9.30am AEDT

April 11: Final, venue, start time TBC

Full table, fixtures, latest news and highlights on the Marsh Cup series page