Stormy weather which hit Derby today threatened to wipe out the first day of Yorkshire's PPP Championship clash with Derbyshire at the County Ground.

Torrential rain flooded the area from early morning and with no play before lunch, Yorkshire seemed to be heading for their first completely blank day of the season.

It was a massive disappointment for David Byas and his team who are riding the crest of a wave at the moment. Consecutive wins against Essex and Durham have shot Yorkshire into fourth place in the table but Derbyshire, having got over their off-the-field winter skirmishes, have made a reasonable start themselves.

They have secured two wins from four matches and although they trail Yorkshire by 14 points they enjoy a game in hand and would close the gap with a victory.

Derbyshire had a break from championship cricket last week but Yorkshire have noted that in their previous match they beat Northamptonshire by eight wickets with Australian Michael Slater and Steve Titchard both knocking up big centuries.

Darren Gough and Gavin Hamilton will be at Buckingham Palace today with their England and Scotland team-mates, but the World Cup pair will be back in Yorkshire's ranks in a week's time for the championship encounter with current leaders Hampshire at Basingstoke.

Yorkshire from: Blewett, Vaughan, Byas, Wood, McGrath, White, Blakey, Silverwood, Sidebottom, Hoggard, Fisher, Fellows.

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