PLAY started at 2.45pm in Staffordshire’s Minor Counties Knockout Trophy final against Norfolk at Durham’s Riverside ground.

Heavy rain prevented play commencing at the scheduled start time of 11am, but after the Herculean efforts of the groundstaff, umpires Mark Eggleston and John Reed have deemed conditions fit to play.

Staffordshire are chasing their first one-day title since 1993 when they beat Wiltshire at Lord’s, and it will be their bowlers who take centre stage first after Norfolk won the toss and elected to bat.

Staffordshire: Paul Goodwin, Ben McGuire, Peter Wilshaw, Joe Leach, Richard Harvey, Mo Sheikh, Iain Carr, Craig Barker, Greg Willott, Dave Edwards, Will Purser.

Norfolk: Carl Rogers, Ben Patston, Stephen Gray, Trevor Ward, Chris Borrett, James Spelman, Sam Arthurton, Chris Brown, Paul Bradshaw, Michael Eccles, Martin Addison.

Keep up with the latest updates at www.thisistaffordshire.co.uk/cricket