Ravi Bopara and Dan Lawrence brought up their century partnership as only nine overs were possible on the second day of Essex’s Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash with Northamptonshire at Essex County Ground.
The morning session was completely washed out as play only lasted 39 minutes after an early lunch before a heavy band of rain returned to bring an end to the day with Essex on 351-3.
The tea break was called at 3.20 and, despite the weather clearing later in the afternoon and the umpires inspecting as the covers were peeled back at 5pm, no further play was possible as the outfield remained sodden.
Nine overs was enough, however, for Essex to pick up a fourth batting point, while Lawrence becoming the fifth member of Essex’s top five to pass 50. He reached the milestone when he knocked of Rory Kleinveldt into the offiside for two. An over later, Bopara crashed a drive through the covers off Azharullah to bring up Essex’s 350.
With further inclement weather forecast for the final two days of the match, however, a result seems unlikely.
HIGHLIGHTS | Not much to get excited about on Day 2 but here’s the one & only highlight from rainy Chelmsford… #50 pic.twitter.com/3UWrsYmz5A
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) April 25, 2016
Source: ECB