Cyclone threatens Australia-Bangladesh World Cup clash

As if one cyclone Lam was not bad enough for Australia, another cyclone Marcia has rapidly intensified into a category three storm off NE coast which is likely to dump about 300 mm of rain in Queensland over the week-end. Australian Bureau has predicted an 80 % probability of rain & thunderstorms on Saturday when the match takes place at the Gabba, Brisbane. Australia’s World Cup campaign and Michael Clarke’s much anticipated return could be in jeopardy as cyclone Marcia threatens very heavy rain of 30cm in Brisbane before Saturday’s clash with Bangladesh. However, Skymet feels Gabba, Brisbane may not receive 30 cm of rain, therefore, chances of washout are not very high and certainly a 20-20 over match would be possible.

Stand-in skipper George Bailey is likely to be replaced by Clarke but it is quite likely that the stormy weather may leave the captain cooling his heels till Australia’s third game of the tournament, against co-hosts and strong title contenders New Zealand in Auckland on next Saturday i.e. February 28. The grim weather forecast could force the players to have indoors nets after rain started falling during the Gabba training session on Wednesday & is likely to steadily increase till Saturday.

Cyclone Marcia is now likely to intensify to category four by the time it makes landfall in the central Queensland coast early morning on Friday. The category three system, presently north-east of Bundaberg, is predicted to bring high winds and flash floods to most of Queensland. The cyclone is forecast to make landfall somewhere between St Lawrence and Gladstone, with winds gusting up to 185 kmph.

Meanwhile Tropical Cyclone Lam has strengthened and moved towards the Northern Territory mainland. Near about thousand people from the Aboriginal community of Warruwi have been evacuated to Darwin by helicopters and aircrafts. Warruwi, which is the largest community on South Goulburn Island, is on the path of Cyclone Lam & is likely to bear its full brunt.