The Indian run rate was almost outdone by the Australian's over-rate so quickly did they get through their overs.

All the Australian bowlers took the opportunity to give their career economy rates a tweak. Emma Twining took one for 13 from nine overs. Clear Smith took two for 30 from nine overs, Alex Blackwell took two for 18 from six and Lisa Sthalekar one for 19 from seven.

The 50 came up in the 26th over, scored off 158 balls. But no sooner had it been achieved than Rumeli Dhar was caught by Kriss Britt at mid-wicket when spooning up a catch when she had scored 16 runs off 73 balls.

From that point it became something of a procession. Mithali Raj, the most dangerous batsman in the side had only a short stay, for 24 balls, in scoring her 11 before she was caught at the wicket from Alex Blackwell's medium-paced bowling. She was out in the 31st over when the score was 59.

Hemlata Kala followed in the 34th over, also for 11.

In the 40th over Nooshin-Al-Khadir attempted to hit Clea Smith back over her head but the ball slightly miscued and Lisa Sthalekar was able to take a comfortable head high catch at mid-off. That left India 90 for five wickets.

Some hard hitting by Sulaksna Naik saw the 100 up in the 41st over off 242 balls.

Progress through the last 10 overs reflected the rest of the innings although there was one nicely-timed straight driving that brought four runs to Reema Malhotra from Emma Twining's bowling.

Halfway through the innings they had scored 48 runs for Anjum Chopra's wicket, the victim of a run out in the 25th over.

It was barely pedestrian stuff which made little sense after the Indians chose to bat first after winning the toss.

Chopra was out for 25 scored off 84 balls while her opening partner Rumeli Dhar scored 16 off 66 balls.

Australia's attack was not its first choice option as Cathryn Fitzpatrick was rested. Her usual opening partner Emma Twining bowled her first six overs at a cost of only five runs.

Clea Smith had 15 runs taken from her six overs. Julie Hayes had none for nine off six and Karen Rolton had none for 17 from six overs.

Mithali Raj came to the wicket with Chopra's fall and is the key to India picking up a more respectable score.

After the umpires, Tony Hill and Robert Anderson, called an early lunch, the rain stopped and the ground dried quickly with a cooling southerly breeze allowing a start to be made at 1.45pm.

The game is a dead match as Australia and New Zealand have already qualified for the final and Australia have opted to rest their leading bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick from the game.

India won the toss and decided to bat first. The game will still be contested over 50 overs but with less time between innings.

The teams are:

Australia: Belinda Clark (captain), Lisa Sthalekar, Karen Rolton, Melanie Jones, Michelle Goszko, Alex Blackwell, Kriss Britt, Julie Hayes, Julia Price, Clea Smith, Emma Twining. (12th man - Melissa Bulow).

India: Anjum Chopra (captain), Mithali Raj, Rumeli Dhar, Reema Malhotra, Amita Sharma, Nooshin-Al-Khadir, Hemlata Kala, Jhulan Goswami, Babita Mandilka, Mamta Kanojia. (12th man -

The game is dead in terms of its result as Australia and New Zealand have already qualified for the final to be played on Saturday, but it still offers both sides the chance to enhance the experience of their players in international cricket.

India, especially, will relish the chance with its young side as they still have the opportunity to take third place from England which would be a significant boost for them.

While the rain is not heavy it has left a significant amount of water on the covers. Better weather is forecast this afternoon and there is a solid wind from the south that would help the drying process if the light rain stopped.