INCREDIBLE footage shows the moment torrential rain, hail stones and a howling gale failed to stop a cricket match.
While an international test game would be halted at the first sign of a raindrop, the hardy players at Blunham Cricket Club, Bedfordshire, carried on.
The club was trying to set a new world record for non-stop cricket and nothing was going to get in their way.
Video from the game yesterday shows heavy rain lashing the pitch, accompanied by ferocious winds.
The thunderstorm hit as the players were 75 hours into their 168-hour record bid. The conditions were so extreme, with players slipping and sliding on the wicket, they came within five minutes of giving up.
The record bid had started out in baking heat that Australian and Indian cricketers would be more used to.
The club uploaded the videos to their Twitter page captioned: “What a difference a day makes.
“The weather doing it’s best to ruin the world record attempt but the lads are still going strong.”
Before adding another tweet showing slightly better conditions but heavy rain captioned with: “Rain, hail and thunder never stopped playing today. Well done guys.”
Videos show the heavy rain sweeping and lashing down on the green with the pitch flooding.
The rain is so bad at one point one of the fielders can be seen seeking cover from the hail stones.
While, another shows volunteers holding onto the top of the tent to stop the rain from coming in and causing it to flood the area.
The volunteers and team had to manage the conditions on a proper cricket square, which resulted in volunteers having to squeeze the water out of the wicket to allow the team to try and play in the normal conditions.
If the bowler struggled to properly bowl the ball or it went of the pitch, due to the weather the players have to bowl again.
Matt Cottrell who was volunteering at the event said their world cricket attempt was five minutes away from being cancelled due to the heavy rain nearly flooding the officials attempt which resulted in 30 to 40 volunteers holding onto the gazebo to prevent this.
@mpeters_6026 wrote under the club’s Twitter page writing: “Holy smoke guys.”
@hayimhere added: “Couldn’t be prouder of all 24 of you. Keep grafting, you’ve climbed the mountain, only a descent left.”
@terryday1978 said: “Fair play lads that’s what I call commitment. Keep up the good work sure you will smash it.”
@Dasher98394720 said: “Wow guys that’s hardcore.”
Speaking today Matt Cottrell said: “The rain nearly flooded the officials’ gazebo. We have to have an official always there recording the attempt.
“At one stage we were worried about the power going. It was floods of floods of water running from the pitch.”
The club hope to raise up to £30,000 for charity from the seven day non-stop cricket match which is now back on course to finish on Saturday.
