11.30am Thoroughly miserable morning in Leeds, but with the Sky cameras present there appears to be every chance of some play, with the umpires to make an inspection at the scheduled start time of 12, writes Andy Wilson. That's good news for Lancashire, who need to win to have any chance of making the quarter-finals. They would also need Derbyshire to be beaten either by Scotland or the weather in Edinburgh. A wash-out here would guarantee Yorkshire's place in the last eight, and therefore knock out Derbyshire, while a win would secure them a home tie. Both teams desperately short of seamers, and Lancashire will also be without their captain Stuart Law, who broke a finger in the nets yesterday. Luke Sutton is expected to take over as skipper.
12.15pm Good morning from the cloistered confines of Oakham School, in Rutland, famously England's smallest county, writes Richard Rae. Actually, the cloisters are not so much confined as open, and not so much cloisters as a series of unremarkable rectangular brick buildings of no obvious architectural merit, but the school's cricket ground is a fine one - large, and superbly maintained. In fact, it's better maintained than a number of county grounds.
The pitch is almost white, and judging by Charlie Shreck's opening overs, has some pace and bounce. It's very humid here - there's a lot of moisture in the air (there were thunderstorms last night) and Shreck is swinging it. Rain, I'm afraid, is not so much expected as guaranteed by the groundsman, and Duckworth Lewis will surely be a factor. Chris Read won the toss, and put the Foxes in. Ackerman and Boyce opening for Leicestershire, Tom New having dropped out with an injured hand.
Darren Pattinson is the other opening bowler, First time I've seen the Grimsby-born Aussie. Looks strong, but not quite as lively as I'd heard. Apparently he took a bit of tap on Monday. Matthew Boyce is on his home ground - like Stuart Broad, he's a former Oakham schoolboy. He's looking suitably at home, anyway, stroking Pattinson through the covers to register the game's first boundary.
12.35pm Underway here after a half-hour delay, and Lancs 7-1 off four overs, writes Andy Wilson. It's a 49-over match now, and Lancashire chose to bat first, slightly surprisingly given the gloom. Tim Bresnan opened up with a maiden, and it was Steven Patterson who made the breakthrough on his first senior appearance of the season, having Paul Horton caught at second slip.
So many seamers missing with injury that it's a surprise no one asked Paul Allott to come out of retirement when he joined the captains (Sutton and Darren Gough) for the toss. No Kruis, Rana, Shahzad (all hamstring) or Hoggard (broken thumb) for Yorkshire - with the county's physio downplaying the latter's chances of playing in the Roses Championship match that starts here on Friday, surely ruling him out of an England recall at Trent Bridge next week. Lancs are missing Chapple (back) and Cork (intercostal) as well as Anderson and Flintoff, giving messrs Mahmood, Newby and Hogg the chance to shine.
1pm Just checked with the Derbyshire correspondent in Scotland, who tells me that although it's not currently raining, there is standing water on the ground and the prospects of play are "poor to crap", writes Andy Wilson. I gave him detailed directions to a good pub just up the road from the Grange, only to be told the match is in Glasgow. Anyway it appears this game really is winner goes through. Lancs now raced on to 18 for one after seven.
1.30pm The groundsman, as groundsmen usually do, knew whereof he spoke - rain has driven the players from the field with the Foxes on 75-1 off 19.1 overs, reports Richard Rae. Ackerman 26, Dippenaar 27.
One of the joys of Oakham is the fund-raising tent set up by the local W.I, the point being of course that said funds are raised by selling such delights as bacon baps and home-made cakes. On the grounds of quality (excellent local bacon, minimum three rashers per bap) and value for money (huge slice of cake for £1) I would suggest it's close to being just about the best available on the county circuit, though Worcestershire's ladies pavilion comes close. All other nominations welcome.
Rain has stopped, and the match will recommence without loss of overs. Notts are already through of course, though a win would guarantee them a home quarter-final. Leics will also go through with a win. May not even need that if Northants were to lose in Dublin. If they lose, and Northants win, Northants go through. A rain-off puts both Notts and Leics through.
2.05pm The mystery over Lancashire's decision to bat first deepens, writes Andy Wilson. They are now 57 for seven with Sutton, the man who will presumably take the responsibility in his first match as captain of the county, the last man out, lbw to Richard Pyrah. Yorkshire's seamers have bowled as though they can't believe their luck at being given the first chance to exploit a pitch offering movement and occasional sharp bounce in equally helpful overhead conditions. Patterson took two for 18 in his opening eight-over spell, Bresnan had to settle for one, Pyrah has picked up a couple and Darren Gough has just taken his third - it's now 58 for eight.
3.45pm Two hours without play at Oakham, but they've started the long process of removing the water from the covers, and the covers from the ground, writes Richard Rae. The clouds are a little lighter, and the Duckworth Lewis tables are being printed off. Foxes had reached 87-1 from 22.3 overs. The news from Dublin, where Ireland appear to have every chance of beating Northants, may render the result here irrelevant. Umps inspecting now.
4.20pm Good news for Durham, writes Andy Wilson. It's hosing down here at Headingley, with Yorkshire still needing at least 31 more balls before they can win even on Duckworth-Lewis. A no-result would leave Durham top of the group with home advantage in the quarter-finals.
5.30pm All a bit farcical here, writes Andy Wilson. Been belting down for best part of an hour, the ground must be absolutely soaked, but Yorkshire desperate to play to complete the victory they need to win the group - so we're all hanging around for a 6pm inspection at which the umpires will presumably put us out of our misery.
