Norfolk skipper Paul Bradshaw is still confident of a first Minor Counties Championship win of the season against old foes Cambridgeshire despite an opening day wash out at March.

Norfolk skipper Paul Bradshaw is still confident of a first Minor Counties Championship win of the season against old foes Cambridgeshire despite an opening day wash out at March.

Bradshaw's squad was restricted to a vigorous mid afternoon fielding session on the sodden outfield after persistent drizzle forced an inevitable call off without a ball being bowled.

A gloomy weather forecast for today's scheduled second day of this Eastern Division derby could wreck Norfolk's chances of an opening Championship victory.

“If the predicted overnight rain comes then it will be dodgy,” admitted Bradshaw. “But you never can tell. I don't know the wicket so it's difficult to say how quickly it could dry out. It's under cover and looking a bit patchy. Even if we can get on it will take a while. The rain will affect the wicket although it's not like one side has an advantage because the game hasn't started. It's frustrating but there's not a lot you can do.

“We decided to have a game of football in the morning and the lads wanted to get out and do some fielding later on rather than just go back and sit in a hotel room.”

Norfolk's hopes of ending a 22-year hoodoo against their local rivals were also sunk by rain at Manor Park last year.

Bradshaw insists both sides will be desperate to force a result even if fresh wet weather interruptions take more time out of the three-day contest.

“We want to start off the season positively,” he said. “It'll be up to the skippers to get together although I don't know him that well. We definitely want to get some momentum going. I think we have a good group of players who have been around for a while and the confidence is high after coming off a good win against Staffs in our last one-day game.

“Cambs on paper don't look as strong as some of the sides we've faced in the past. They've already played one match and drew so they need the points. Hopefully the weather is not going to stop us.”