The rain stopped just before 7pm and the umpires inspected half an hour later with a view to playing a reduced game, but the cut off time of 7.58pm (to play the minimum of 5 overs a side) was reached and the groundstaff were beaten despite their efforts.

The teams lined up, the fireworks fizzed and the teams made it to the middle only for the rain to take them straight off at 5.30pm. Yorkshire's t20 faint qualification hopes were being washed away by the poor weather after Andrew Gale had won the toss and asked Durham to bat first.

Yorkshire can still make the Quarter-Finals, but the one points gained in the Northeast does not help their cause.

A personal gripe - once the weather had eased the groundstaff did a lot of hard work to reward a good sized crowd that had waited patiently to see some cricket. It is an entertainment industry and if the umpires had been allowed by the rules to start the 5 over thrash at 8.30pm a game could have been played beneath the best skies of the day after the last remaining puddles had been cleared. Why 7.58pm? Why no scope to use a bit of common sense? Surely in July we can play on a bit later? I'm sure none of the crowd that went home wet and cricketless would have minded.

JAMES BUTTLER in Chester-le-Street

MATCH INFORMATION

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire can still qualify for the Friends Life t20 Quarter-Finals but nothing short of three wins and results going in their favour elsewhere will make that dream reality. Wins at Chester-le-Street today and against the same opposition in Scarborough on Sunday and in the final game against Derbyshire are a must.

Yorkshire have fought hard, have put in some fine team and individual performances but have been too inconsistent in a Northern Division where only Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire have stamped their authority.

The weather forecast for tonight's match promises rain and thunder storms. Yorkshire's t20 future could rest in the hands of the Gods.

The Great Escape is on and a win away to Durham would at least ensure that the first t20 match to be played at North Marine Road, Scarborough would not be a dead rubber.