Only 12 overs were completed on the third day of Nottinghamshire’s LV= County Championship fixture against Durham at Chester-le-Street, as the hosts took their second innings total on to 37-2.
A pessimistic weather forecast had appeared inaccurate as the players warmed up in decent conditions during the morning but shortly before the scheduled start a combination of very light drizzle and gloomy overhead conditions delayed play for fifteen minutes.
The home side were already in possession of a 96 run advantage, with Will Smith and Gordon Muchall occupying the crease for them – Muchall opening in place of Michael Di Venuto, who had sustained a finger injury on the previous afternoon.
After Charlie Shreck and Darren Pattinson had each begun with a maiden, the scoreboard began to tick along and had reached 22-0 when a further heavy shower brought an interruption at 11.38am.
It took more than three hours before the conditions improved enough to provide a re-start – and even though it was just another mini-session it did enable Notts to dismiss both openers.
Smith (15) slashed Shreck straight to Sam Kelsall in the covers, and then Muchall (7) edged behind off Pattinson.
Paul Collingwood struck three boundaries in reaching 12 not out, before further rain brought a premature end to the day with the home side on 37-2, an overall lead of 127.