Cricket-Rain delays England’s bid for test clean sweep

LEEDS, England (Reuters) - The start of play on the final day of the third and final test between England and New Zealand was delayed on Monday due to rain over Headingley as the hosts needed 113 runs to compete a clean sweep of the series.

The weather was predicted to clear after lunch, offering England the opportunity to knock off the runs needed for victory.

They were 183-2 at stumps after day four on Sunday as Ollie Pope and Joe Root made light work of a competitive target of 296 for victory.

Pope (81 not out) and Root (55 not out) will be hoping the weather allows them to resume an unbeaten 132-run partnership as England look strongly placed to add to their first two test victories.

With eight wickets in hand in the final innings, they are set for a first home series clean sweep since beating India 4-0 in 2011.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ken Ferris)