Lancashire’s batters might be grateful that only one session of play was possible on the opening day of their County Championship match against Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford as they fell to 61-3.
After being asked to bat first in cloudy conditions, Keaton Jennings’ side had proceeded uncertainly to lunch before the light showers that prevented a resumption coalesced into the steady drizzle that caused play to be abandoned at 16:30 BST.
In the first hour of play, the former Hampshire all-rounder, Ian Holland, got plenty of help from the pitch and removed both Michael Jones, bowled between bat and pad for ten, and Keaton Jennings, caught at first slip for nine in an eight-over spell that cost only 13 runs.
Lancashire were 19-2 when Jennings was out and the third-wicket pair, Josh Bohannon and Marcus Harris, then batted with understandable caution, only six runs being scored in the first seven overs of their 25-run stand.
But having made nine in nearly an hour, Bohannon was caught down the leg side by Ben Cox off Ben Mike and the session could have gone even better for Leicestershire had not Cox and third slip, Rehan Ahmed, dropped Matty Hurst twice in his first nine balls.
As it was, Lancashire reached lunch on 61-3 after 31 overs and might well have reflected that the session could have gone much worse for them.
Harris was 19 not out after facing 54 balls in 88 minutes and Hurst was unbeaten on 13 after his two escapes.
The session maintained Leicestershire’s fine start to the campaign.
Handscomb’s team came into this game at the top of the early-season table whereas Lancashire, the pre-season favourites for promotion, are fourth, 16 points behind their current opponents and without a win from their matches against Middlesex and Northamptonshire.
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