THERE was a delayed start to Yorkshire's Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy tie against Devon at Exmouth today.

Rain in the days leading up to the game had left some muddy patches which had affected the bowlers' run-ups and this was the main problem as umpires Kevin Lyons and John Steele conducted a series of morning inspections.

There were a few brief flurries of rain in the morning and eventually it was decided to take an early lunch at 1pm with another inspection immediately afterwards.

For the most part, however, it was a bright and breezy day and there was the prospect of the tie getting underway in the afternoon, although the delayed start meant that it might have to continue tomorrow.

Yorkshire welcomed back left arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom after his back injury and again included teenager Tim Bresnan in the attack.

Devon, in the absence of Peter Roebuck, were led by former Gloucestershire player Bobby Dawson.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Cricket Board were finding it tough going at Scarborough against Somerset.

Eighteen-year-old Gary Ramsden, a member of the Yorkshire Academy, soon had opener Matthew Wood caught behind.

But Peter Bowler and Jamie Cox put on 148 for the second wicket as Somerset forged to 168-2 off 36 overs.

SCOREBOARD

Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy

Third round

Yorkshire CB v Somerset

at Scarborough

Somerset Innings

Bowler not out 84

Wood c Kellaway b Ramsden 6

Cox c Ramsden b Pyrah 64

Blackwell not out 5

Extras 9

Total 2 wkts (36.2 overs) 168

Fall: 1-112-159

Somerset: M Burns, K Parsons, R J Turner (wkt), K Dutch, G Rose, P Jones M Bulbeck.

Umpires: N Cowley and R Kettleborough

Yorkshire CB: A Bethel (capt), S Widdup, S Foster, A Gale, D Harland, R Pyrah, P Swanepoel, C Brice, M Kellaway (wkt), N Gill, G Ramsden.

Exmouth: Devon v Yorkshire. Start delayed

Beaconsfield: Sussex 183-2 (40.1ov) v Bucks

St Austell: Cornwall v Worcs. No play today.

Clontarf: Ireland 91-5 (24ov) v Notts

Folkestone: Kent CB v Hampshire. Start delayed

Sleaford: Lincs 85-5 (33ov) v Glamorgan

Manor Park: Kent 138-1 (22ov) v Norfolk.

Edinburgh: Scotland v Surrey. Start delayed

Telford: Salop v Gloucs. Start delayed

Stone: Staffs v Warwicks. Start delayed

Bury St Edmunds: Suffolk 77-7 (37.5ov) v Northants

Cardiff: Wales MC v Durham. Start delayed

Coventry: Leicester 98-2 (31ov) v Warwicks CB. Rain stopped play

Frizzell County Championship

Division Two

(Final day of four today)

Chelmsford: Derbyshire 158 and 145-6 v Essex 168

Updated: 15:48 Wednesday, May 29, 2002