Persistent rain has played havoc with the opening day of the first round of matches in the County Championship since 9 May.

The only game that got underway on time was the Division Two clash between Essex and Middlesex at Chelmsford.

There was also play following delayed starts in the Division One matches between Durham and Hampshire and Yorkshire against Sussex.

Play was abandoned without a ball being bowled in the five other fixtures.

The tone for the day was set by play at the Division One game between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston being abandoned before 1000 BST.

The Division One match at Old Trafford between Lancashire and Somerset was called off in mid afternoon, while Division Two was badly hit as the fixtures between Derbyshire against Gloucestershire at Chesterfield, Glamorgan versus Surrey at Cardiff and Leicestershire against Kent at Grace Road were all called off.

It all resulted in a disappointing resumption of the County Championship following a near month-long break for the Friends Provident Trophy and Twenty20 Cup.

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