Nottinghamshire 33 for 2 (Barnard 1-8) vs Warwickshire

The first day of a Vitality County Championship meeting at Trent Bridge between two sides still stalked by relegation was played by both with one ear cocked for developments 85 miles west, beside the Severn. Over in Worcester, Lancashire will escape if they can take 15 more points than Nottinghamshire can muster in this match, or 20 more than Warwickshire.

With only 15.2 overs possible in all, Warwickshire made the better of what progress there was by the Trent, after a 1.10pm start and a long frustrating wait without cricket shortly after. At the close Nottinhamshire, put in, were 33 for 2.

In difficult conditions throughout, the damage might even have been worse and they will have greeted the premature close with much relief. Warwickshire's two new-ball bowlers, Olly Hannon-Dalby and Ed Barnard shared the spoils, such as they were, on a day tasting truly of autumn.

Finding repeated movement off a pitch subject to endless rain over the last week, Warwickshire, winning a good toss, struck in the sixth over when Barnard nipped one back to hit Haseeb Hameed's off stump.

Out for 7, the captain was replaced by Freddie McCann but he had faced only 15 balls before bad light proved the prelude to a heavy shower, with lightning flashing to the south. In 44 minutes' play up to the stoppage, Nottinghamshire moved shakily to 27 for 1.

Off the field, they soon learned that Lancashire had won a late toss in their own game, bowled and claimed both openers in the first four overs. And the pressure, on Notts especially, steadily intensified as Lancashire continued to bag wickets.

By the time the umpires could make their second inspection of the afternoon at 3.45pm, Lancashire had already claimed seven in Worcester and were looking set for the full three bowling points when Nottinghamshire resumed 30 minutes later.

Alas this proved to be for one ball only, duly left by Ben Slater, before bad light again intervened. Thankfully, brighter conditions allowed a re-start twelve minutes later, four slips being immediately posted for McCann.

It was Slater, however, who went to a fine, sharp catch by Will Rhodes at first slip to give Hannon-Dalby his 49th wicket of the summer and leave him as the third most-successful first-division seamer this season. Two balls later, though, the umpires again decreed bad light and rain followed once more at 4.47pm.

In these conditions, it is already looking a tall ask for Nottinghamshire to reach 300 and claim two batting points. Should Lancashire take only the three bowling points against Worcestershire but still go on to win it would leave Nottinghamshire having at least to draw to cheat the drop.

If Lancashire do only manage 19 points, safety would be assured for Warwickshire. But the forecast is far better for Friday and Saturday and there is a long way yet to travel in both the key games before final fates became clear.