Edgbaston (day 2 of 4) - Warwickshire v Essex. No play on either day, rain.

Play in the county championship match between Warwickshire and Essex at Edgbaston has been completley lost to the weather for the second day in a row.

Conditions had barely improved since umpires John Holder and Martin Bodenham abandoned the opening day at lunchtime on Tuesday.

An overnight storm and steady rain during the morning topped up the water table and the officials called off play for the second day at 2.30pm.

With Worcestershire pushing on at the top of the table, both teams need points to close the gap, but Essex's disappointment was probably the greater in the build-up to their Friends Provident Trophy final against Kent at the weekend.