FROM threatening to run away with the North Conference, Lancashire are beginning to look nervously over their shoulders. The damage done by losing away to Yorkshire on Sunday was compounded by their match against Nottinghamshire being abandoned yesterday.

Only 21.3 overs were possible and in a match reduced to 30 overs a side by a morning of showers, Nottinghamshire, batting first, managed an innings that lasted 19 overs, with an hour and a half’s interruption between the second and third balls of the final over.

Lancashire’s innings was even more brief, with 15 balls possible before the rain came for the third and final time. The home side were reluctant to accept the inevitable, having given themselves the best possible chance of victory by winning the toss, opting to field, and restricting Nottinghamshire to 61 for six.

Kyle Hogg and Tom Smith were the pick of the bowlers and only Stephen Fleming, the Nottinghamshire captain, who scored 26, provided resistance.