England batsman Andrew Strauss suffered more disappointment when he was dismissed for eight for Middlesex in their rain-ruined totesport League Division One game against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The match was eventually abandoned as a draw shortly after 7pm with the home side on 40 for two from seven overs after being set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 87 in 13 overs.

Owais Shah top-scored with an unbeaten 50 as leaders Middlesex made 95-5 from 21 overs, but Strauss failed to get the time at the crease he would have wanted ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh at Lord's on Thursday.

Strauss was dismissed off his 12th delivery when an attempted off-drive against England hopeful Jon Lewis only resulted in a diving catch for wicketkeeper Steve Adshead.

The Middlesex man has now made just 168 runs in 12 one-day and four-day innings this season, at an average of 14.

The visitors slipped to 34-3 after Middlesex captain Ben Hutton had won the toss and given his batsmen first use of a pitch that had been used for the C&G Trophy match against Surrey last Tuesday.

James Averis made the breakthrough for Gloucestershire when Paul Weekes skied a drive to Alex Gidman at mid-off to depart for nine.

Ed Smith was dismissed in the next over for six, caught behind by Adshead as he attempted to cut a delivery from Lewis.

After Lewis had then accounted for Strauss in his fifth over, Shah and Ed Joyce led a revival. As the skies darkened around the ground, Shah cracked two fours and a straight six off three deliveries from Gloucestershire player-coach Mark Alleyne.

The players left the field after the last of those boundaries and it was three-and-a-quarter hours later, at 5.40pm, before play resumed.

Middlesex had to bat for seven more deliveries, but in that time they could only add five more runs for the loss of two wickets.

Joyce was run out by Alleyne's direct hit from wide mid-on and Scott Styris was dismissed by Martyn Ball after Upul Chandana had taken a fine catch on the run at long-on.

Gloucestershire, who were initially set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 130 from 21 overs, promoted wicketkeeper Adshead to open the innings in the absence of Craig Spearman for personal reasons.

Adshead struck 14 from seven balls before he had his off-stump knocked back by Melvyn Betts, and rain forced the players off the field again with Gloucestershire on 24 for one from four overs.

Play restarted at 6.45pm and after a further three overs, during which Phil Weston was caught at short extra cover by Hutton off Styris, the rain descended again on the County Ground and ensured that both sides ended with two points from the match.