SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) – A second consecutive day’s play was washed out Wednesday consigning the third Australia-West Indies Test to an unwelcome postscript in Australian cricket.

Play was abandoned at lunch on the rain-sodden fourth day at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) amid forecasts the downpour would continue for the rest of the day.

The stands were near empty for a second day with only a handful of die-hard fans hoping to see some cricket in the 50,000-capacity SCG and four security guards under umbrellas standing around the covered pitch area.

The weather has now claimed the third and fourth days of the forlorn Sydney Test, making a draw inevitable.

It is only the fifth time in Australia that two consecutive days of play have been lost to rain, and the first time in almost 26 years.

The rain-hit Test joins Australia’s matches against South Africa at the Gabba in Brisbane in 1931-32, India at the SCG 1947-48, England at the SCG in 1954-55, and Pakistan at the SCG 1989-90.

Australia have already won the series and retained the Frank Worrell Trophy after huge wins in the Hobart and Melbourne Tests.

Only 86.2 overs have been bowled so far in the final Test with the West Indies remaining at 248 for seven since Monday.

Denesh Ramdin was on 30 with Kemar Roach yet to score.

The SCG has recorded more than 100mm (4in) of rain since the Test began on Sunday.