Washout concludes 50 over campaign
2 August 2016
The weather had the final word at the Brightside Ground as Gloucestershire's season in the Royal London Cup ended in soggy conditions with the final group match against Essex being abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The prospects looked reasonably bright ahead of the scheduled start despite the volume of rain in the previous 24 hours, with only a short delay envisaged by umpires Martin Saggers and Michael Burns until more precipitation forced the covers to be replaced.
A start time of 3.30 was then agreed with the game being reduced to 38 overs per side, and it was Ravi Bopara who won the toss and decided Essex would field first.
The players actually made it as far as the middle before once again the rain returned before David Masters could deliver the first ball.
Gradually the covers were extended across the square and it shortly after 6 o'clock that the umpires decided there wasn't enough time to get the ground ready before the cut off time for a 10 over match.
Gloucestershire's next game is against Durham in the quarter finals of the NatWest T20 blast at the Brightside Ground on Wednesday August 10th (6.30pm).
