LONDON: Rain denied the West Indies of valuable time in the middle ahead of next week's third and final Test against England after the second day of their two-day match against Leicestershire was abandoned without a ball bowled on Sunday.

The washout at Grace Road followed a curtailed first day where the tourists managed 150 for three.

There was still time for the tourists to suffer another of the top order collapses that have contributed to them losing the Test series, with England an unbeatable 2-0 up ahead of the finale at Edgbaston starting Thursday.

Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards both fell in the same over Saturday from Leicestershire seamer Nadeem Malik to leave West Indies 25 for two.

However, a third-wicket stand of 111 between opener Adrian Barath (53 not out) and Darren Bravo (66) saw the tourists to 150 for three at stumps.

Opening batsman Powell's top score in his four Test innings this series is 33, while Edwards has failed to reach double figures in any of his eight innings on the tour so far and was out for his fourth duck against Leicestershire.

Powell made nine at Grace Road.

As well as their batting problems leading into the third Test, West Indies have also been denied the services of Kemar Roach after the fast bowler was ruled out of the remainder of the tour with a shin injury earlier this week.

'Mystery' spinner Sunil Narine, absent from the first two Tests because of his Indian Premier League commitments, has been called up in his place.

Narine was due to arrive in England on Sunday and could yet play at Edgbaston.