A WET outfield following Tuesday's downpour held up the start of Yorkshire's Championship match against Gloucestershire at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.

The delay was frustrating for spectators and players alike because the morning was bright with sunny periods and the square looked to have been well protected.

After an initial inspection, umpires Trevor Jesty and Neil Mallender decided to take another look after an early lunch.

It is the first meeting this season between the two promotion seeking sides and Yorkshire have only themselves to blame for being half-a-point behind their third-placed opponents.

They were docked a quarter point in the home game with Glamorgan and also on their visit to Taunton for bowling their overs too slowly but they should get through them at the required rate against Gloucestershire.

The pitch is expected to take spin which means plenty of work for Andy Gray and also for Richard Dawson if Yorkshire decide to go in with two slow bowlers.

Gloucestershire were likely to play two in Martyn Ball and Pakistani off-spinner Shoaib Malik and former Yorkshire left-armer Ian Fisher, from Bradford, was also in their squad of 14.

But South African Jonty Rhodes misses out with a hamstring strain which he picked up at the weekend and captain Mark Alleyne remains sidelined with a back injury.

Gloucestershire had former England wicketkeeper Jack Russell back after being out for several weeks with a broken thumb.

Although Gloucestershire just have their noses in front of Yorkshire in the table, the Tykes have the advantage of playing one fewer game and a win would see them exchange places with the West Country side and substantially boost their promotion chances.

It is a particularly important game for Gavin Hamilton who replaces out-of-form Yuvraj Singh in his first Championship outing in over a year.

With Hamilton's days as a bowler apparently numbered because of a loss of confidence he needs to take plenty of runs from this game to try and convince Yorkshire that he is worth keeping on next season solely as a batsman.

Yorkshire from:Wood, Fleming, Craven. Lumb, Hamilton, White, Guy, Gray, Silverwood, Kirby, Swanpoel, Dawson.

Gloucestershire from: Spearman, Weston, Taylor, Hancock, Windows, Gidman, Shoaib Malik, Hardinges, Russell, Ball, Fisher, Averis, Lewis, Smith.

Updated: 14:54 Wednesday, July 30, 2003