Gloucestershire's Frizzell County Championship Division Two home game with Yorkshire barely got into the 12th over before a downpour brought a third and final hold-up at Cheltenham yesterday.

With four separate pools on the college ground umpires Trevor Jesty and Neil Mallinder saw no prospect of play by 3.30pm.

They had already seen the start delayed until after an early lunch but Gloucestershire's acting captain Craig Spearman was left regretting a start had been made at all.

He won the toss but was out to the fourth ball of the first over without scoring.

Trying to force Chris Silverwood away on the offside, he played an inside edge painfully onto his ankle.

From there the ball flew into his off-stump leaving the Kiwi to limp away to the treatment room.

Opening partner Phil Weston went at the end of the second over, a push at Steve Kirby ending in Simon Guy's gloves.

They were soon off for one shower and came back for just 17 balls before the final stoppage with Gloucestershire 33-2.

Both teams went into the game heavy on spin, Gloucestershire having three spinners and Yorkshire two.

Yorkshire have dropped Indian bat Yuvraj Singh, bringing in Gavin Hamilton for his first championship game for this season.

They are also without Ryan Sidebottom and Matthew Hoggard as well as their trio of England-contracted players.

Gloucestershire are missing their captain Mark Alleyne and South African Jonty Rhodes who are both injured as well as Ian Harvey, who is away with Australia's one-day squad.