Persistent rain and a leaky roof at the indoor hall of Olympic Stadium yesterday evening contrived to force the needle match between hosts Cambodia and 2003 champions Slovakia in the 2011 WOVD Standing Volleyball World Cup to be postponed until this morning.

It was a strange but disappointing sight for the two teams and a bustling crowd who watched helplessly as water droplets landed on the court from the rafters. A team of volunteers did their best to mop the court dry, but it was increasingly evident that tournament officials were reluctant to risk the sides playing in such conditions.

But amid the unfolding courtside drama came a silver lining. Prime Minister Hun Sen, who was watching the events unfold live on his television, instructed Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema to immediately inspect the stadium and carry out repair work. The Governor, along with the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Im Sethy, duly arrived at the hall and mobilised a team of workers to ensure that the problem would be fixed in time for today’s schedule.

“We are ever grateful to the Prime Minister Hun Sen for taking this stand to ensure that the event went on smoothly,” director of the Local Organising Committee Christopher Minko told The Post yesterday.

After two five set defeats to Slovakia and Cambodia and an easy airing against Laos, Sri Lanka came into their own, convincingly beating Kazakhstan 25-14, 25-13, 25-13 in yesterday’s opening match.

Reigning champions Germany then completed their fourth win in a row by steamrolling Laos 25-11, 25-5, 25-6.

Today’s match schedule has been revised to the list below.

Today’s World Cup schedule

Slovakia v Cambodia – 10am

Sri Lanka v Germany – 1pm

Laos v Slovakia – 3pm

Cambodia v Kazakhstan – 6pm