Lord's witnessed the most play in the Championship on Friday, but it was a total of 11 overs as Gloucestershire made 30-0 before rain ended day three.

The imperious drainage system at the home of cricket allowed play to begin at 1700 BST when at any other ground it would have long since been abandoned.

Middlesex declared on their overnight total of 313-7, 95 ahead, and packed in five slips in a bid for early wickets.

Will Porterfield edged Alan Richardson but it flew past Murali Kartik at slip.

The outcome of the match has little bearing on the outcome of Division Two, however.

Gloucestershire are anchored to the bottom of the table and Middlesex's hopes of promotion realistically ended several weeks ago.

When play finally got underway late on Friday afternoon, Middlesex's opening bowlers Tim Murtagh and Richardson were guilty of allowing the batsmen to leave too many deliveries.

The one edge flew sharply to Kartik at second slip in the second over but he could not get his hands to the ball.

Spinner Kartik was brought into the attack in an effort to prevent the batsmen being offered the light, but rain soon returned to force the players off, and shortly afterwards proceedings were abandoned for the day.