HEAVY showers got in the way of good Yorkshire progress in their Benson and Hedges Cup match at Headingley today, Leicestershire being 61 for 2 after 18 overs in a game which became reduced to 46 overs a side.

Tim Bresnan got an early wicket with a superb run out and then Chris Silverwood chipped in to leave Leicestershire on 25 for 2 at one stage.

Yorkshire fielded the same side which beat Notts at Trent Bridge on Sunday, Darren Gough's first outing of the season again having to be put back because of his slow recovery from a cartilage operation.

He won't be ready to face Durham in the B&H tomorrow and is runnig out of time to face Sri Lanka in the opening Test at Lord's on May 16.

Trevor Ward and Leeds-born Iain Sutcliffe made a bright start for the visitors and looked certain to score a boundary off Silverwood when he played strongly towards the rope at backward square leg but Bresnan round round from fine leg and hit the stumps at the bowler's end with Ward narrowly out of his ground attempting a third run.

Bresnan was showing greater accuracy than Silverwood but the senior bowler suddenly got one to lift sharply off a length and Vince Wells edged a catch to wicketkeeper Richard Blakey, making Leicestershire 25 for two.

Wells's departure brought in Michael Bevan, Yorkshire's overseas player before fellow Australian Darren Lehmann arrived, and he looked in ominously good form. He cut Bresnan to third man for what should have been a single but Silverwood misfieded badly and the ball went through his hands and over the rope.

Craig White came on for Silverwood, who had taken one for 30 in seven overs, but after two rain interruptions, the game was reduced to 46 overs.

TODAY'S SCOREBOARD

Benson & Hedges Cup

Yorkshire v Leicestershire

at Headingley

Leicestershire Innings

Ward run out 15

Sutcliffe not out 26

Wells c Blakey b Silverwood 2

Bevan not out 24

Extras 5

Total 2 wkts (20.2 overs) 72

Fall: 1-17 2-25

Yorkshire from: Wood, White, Lumb, Lehmann, McGrath, Fellows, Blakey, Silverwood, Dawson, Bresnan, Sidebottom,

Riverside: Durham 67-6 (24.4ov) v Lancashire.

Bristol: Gloucestershire 75-3 (17.3ov) v Warwickshire. Match reduced to 43 overs.

Canterbury: Sussex 174-2 (R Montgomerie 71, T Ambrose 64 38.1ov) v Kent

Northampton: Northants 117-4 (35.4ov) v Worcestershire

The Oval: Hampshire 187-6 (37.3ov) v Surrey

Updated: 15:09 Wednesday, May 01, 2002