Overnight storm forces play to be called off for the day

No play was possible on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship match between Gloucestershire and Lancashire at Cheltenham.

Players arrived at the College Ground to find that a fierce storm the previous night had caused some water to seep through the covers, leaving a wet area on a length at the Chapel End.

Umpires Jeff Evans and Paul Pollard delayed the start and opted to make an initial inspection at 11.30am local time. Plans for a further look an hour later were abandoned because of a heavy shower and an early lunch was taken with the intention of another inspection at 1.30pm. By then more rain had fallen and play was abandoned for the day at 1.45pm amid continued concern that the nature of the pitch had changed.

Lancashire were due to resume their first innings on 47 for 2 in reply to Gloucestershire's 205.

Saqib Mahmood claimed 4 for 48 on the opening day, including the first three wickets of Gloucestershire's innings to stem a promising start by the hosts. There were two wickets each for James Anderson and Liam Livingstone, while Miles Hammond top scored with 82.

By the time bad light brought a close three overs early, Lancashire had lost Haseeb Hameed to a run out and Jake Lehmann, bowled by David Payne during an eight-over opening spell by the left-armer, which saw him concede only four runs.

Keaton Jennings remained not out 26 and Rob Jones was unbeaten on 14.