Rain comes to rescue – for now

No play was possible on the third day of Durham’s Specsavers County Championship Division Two match at home to Worcestershire because of persistent rain.

That meant there was no chance of Michael Richardson and Tom Fell stepping into the action as the replacements for Keaton Jennings and Joe Clarke, who are now on England Lions duty.

Fell’s chances of batting look remote as the forecast suggests there might be just enough play today – the final day of the match – for Worcestershire to go for an innings win.

A day and a half has now been lost, play being abandoned after 43 overs on Tuesday, when the rain arrived just in time to prevent Durham starting their second innings, 170 runs adrift.

Jennings made only six on the first day and would have welcomed a second chance as he awaits the announcement of the England squad for the first Test against South Africa, which starts next week.

Durham will delay a decision about their Twenty20 captain until they know whether he is available to continue in the role he held during the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Play will start at 2pm at the Emirates Riverside today, weather permitting.

England seamer Jake Ball is awaiting the outcome of a scan on his right knee which threatens his chance of facing South Africa.