Sidebottom signs new contract as Yorkshire frustrated by rain

However, if this abysmal weather continues, he could probably play on until he is 47-years-old, given that he would be spending much of his time with his feet up in the pavilion.

On a day when Sidebottom reaffirmed his commitment to the county, Yorkshire endured further frustration as only 34 overs were possible on day one at Colwyn Bay.

Glamorgan advanced to 117-3 after winning the toss before the rain that began falling shortly after lunch eventually forced a 5.15pm abandonment.

If this is not the wettest start to a season on record, it is certainly the soggiest in recent memory.

On Yorkshire’s last visit here in 2004, only 51 overs were possible across the four days as August temporarily took leave of its senses.

Judging by weather forecasts for the rest of the week, there is a chance we will not see many more overs on this occasion.

Already it is difficult to see a positive result without help from the heavens and collusion from the captains.

All of which is tremendously frustrating for a Yorkshire team who are eyeing this match as something of a banker.

Glamorgan are a wretched, woeful side, marooned at the bottom of Division Two after five defeats and three draws and winless in any form of cricket this season.

Yorkshire, who went into the match second in the table, 28 points behind Derbyshire with a game in hand, can ill-afford to pass up the chance of victory in a fixture that completes the opening half of their Championship programme.

The likelihood, though, is that the visitors will be thwarted.

If there is nothing better for spectators than to visit such out-grounds as Colwyn Bay, there is also nothing worse for them than to be stuck at such venues when the elements turn foul.

There is precious little shelter at Rhos-on-Sea, unless one has a golden ticket to sit in the pavilion; otherwise, there are only white chairs dotted around the boundary and on the sloping grass embankment at the appropriately named Embankment end.

Consequently, multi-coloured umbrellas were in evidence yesterday, along with a variety of caps and head wear as a number of spectators came well prepared.

Some of the canniest and quickest found shelter beneath trees, although those were not sufficient in number to give widespread protection.

There was little hint in the morning of the rainy day to come.

The teams warmed up in bright sunshine and with a gentle wind blowing off the Irish Sea.

Yorkshire sprung a surprise by dropping Anthony McGrath, one of their best players this season, and recalling leg-spinner Adil Rashid, one of their most ineffective.

However, with the pitch expected to turn, Rashid was drafted in to partner Azeem Rafiq.

After Sidebottom and Steve Patterson failed to break through in the early exchanges, frustrated by a flat and slow-paced surface, Rafiq was introduced after 35 minutes.

Glamorgan openers Gareth Rees and Will Bragg made a solid start, defending well and taking advantage of a short square boundary to the pavilion side, with Rees raising the fifty stand by smiting Rafiq over that boundary for a leg-side six.

But the introduction of Mitchell Starc did the trick for Yorkshire, the Australian striking with the last ball of his third over, the 19th of the innings, to have Bragg caught behind to leave Glamorgan 55-1.

Starc struck again with the second delivery of his fifth over when Rees, much to his displeasure, was adjudged lbw for 35 as Glamorgan slid to 58-2.

Predictably, there was not much early assistance for Rafiq, but the off-spinner stuck to his task and removed danger man Marcus North half-an-hour before lunch.

The Australian drove the ball firmly to Rafiq’s right, the bowler diving athletically to cling on before letting out a cry of delight.

After Glamorgan lunched on 99-3, Starc conceded 18 runs from the first over after the interval as Stewart Walters cover-drove him for four, pulled him for six, square-drove him for four and then pulled him for another boundary.

Rafiq followed up with a maiden before rain sent the players running from the field.

A brief break in the clouds prompted hopes of a 5.15pm resumption, with 20 overs remaining, but, unfortunately, the rain returned.

The teams will come back today and try again when the forecast, alas, is even worse.

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