Wet weather in Christchurch, the host venue for the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup, has claimed its first victims.

Practice games scheduled for tomorrow have had to be cancelled.

New Zealand Under-19 were to have played their England opposites on the Lincoln University No 3 ground while Sri Lanka were to have played a Canterbury Country team in Rangiora, a country town just outside Christchurch.

But with incessant rain over the weekend pitches have not be able to be prepared. And rain, after a brief absence in Christchurch during today, returned again this evening.

An extensive programme of games has been arranged for all sides at all three locations for matches on Wednesday and Thursday.

The tournament's opening game is on Saturday at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, the centrepiece ground of the New Zealand Cricket High Performance Centre at Lincoln University, between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

© CricInfo