Frustration on opening day at Blackpool with 28 balls in six hours

The first day of Lancashire's match with second-placed Essex in the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Blackpool was badly affected by the weather with just 28 balls possible in which time Essex made 12 for one.

Both teams came into the fixture with enforced changes, Essex opener Feroze Khushi having sustained a sore hand last week in the Vitality Blast while Lancashire rested Daryl Mitchell to help the overseas all-rounder manage a groin issue.

The day was split into two short tranches of play that book-ended this unusual day.

After a misleadingly sunny morning, Essex won the toss and elected to bat under increasingly gloomy skies, a mood probably shared by Nick Browne after he edged the fourth delivery of the day from Tom Bailey to Colin de Grandhomme at third slip without a run on the board.

In the 25 balls bowled in the morning there was time for Alastair Cook to punch a four off the back foot from Will Williams and Essex skipper Tom Westley to glance Bailey to fine leg for four off the first ball of the fifth over.

At that point the rain arrived to take the players from the field for more than six hours, and it was a testament to the Blackpool club that their outfield, re-laid three years ago, coped admirably with the deluge that fell during the day.

That allowed umpires Peter Hartley and Steve O'Shaughnessy to restart play at 5.30pm following several inspections, but only three balls had been bowled in Bailey's interrupted over before bad light halted play once again, with more rain minutes later ending a very frustrating day.

Cook (4 not out) and Westley (8 not out) will resume the Essex first innings tomorrow.