4.45pm: Match abandoned! The relentless squalage has had the final say in Northampton. There's more rain to come, from the sounds of it, and no chance in getting the ground cleaned up for a 20-over game in the next hour. So that is that, and we'll move on to Cardiff for the final ODI on Saturday. Thanks for sticking around - now go and follow some actual cricket. Bye!
4.35pm: The covers are back on and it's raining again. Feel free to go and make your own entertainment, I won't be offended
4.22pm: Okay, hokey-cokey time. The rain has stopped again, and one of the covers has been taken off again. "Umpires pacing the outfield," says Valkerie. "Sky is relatively bright." There will be a pitch inspection at 4.40pm - although fair chance of more rain still to come, going by the Met Office radar
Shadow-Shell: "Didn't Sarah Taylor play in a Men's domestic match or something, I feel like I heard something like that." It was mooted back when she was a player - specifically for Sussex 2nds, but I don't think it ever materialised
4.05pm: That cover has now been replaced. "Brollies up and it's dark out there," says Valkerie. If it's cricket triumphing against adverse elements, then I suggest you head over to Raipur, where they are hoping to get a full 40 overs in despite a delayed start
4pm: The rain has eased off a touch, and one of the main covers has been removed again. But, Valkerie warns, it remains "very, very grey overhead"
3.45pm: It is absolutely hooning down now. Go and make a brew, because we are not getting a game just yet...
We do have an interesting line to bring you from England Men's managing director, Rob Key, who has been speaking in the wake of the Test squad announcement. England are going to be using Sarah Taylor as fielding coach, which is a first for the men's senior team (although Taylor worked extensively with the Lions over the winter)
3.36pm: The bad news is, it has started to rain again... "Absolutely rancid" is how Ian Ward describes the weather on Sky! The covers are being dragged back on, and I suspect we'll be lucky to start at 4pm
3.30pm: The sun is out in Northampton. This is not a drill...! The captains are in the middle, here we go: NZ win the toss and bowl, Melie Kerr says the thinking is obvious, "with the rain around, if we're coming on and off, knowing what we need to chase". NZ have picked the same XI, even with a reduced contest. Charlie Dean would have done the same, but says England are "ready to bat". Sophie Ecclestone is back for this one, replacing the pace of Lauren Filer, while Alice Capsey is in for Jodi Grewcock, with Maia Bouchier moving up to opener
England: 1 Emma Lamb, 2 Maia Bouchier, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Alice Capsey, 5 Freya Kemp, 6 Amy Jones (wk), 7 Dani Gibson, 8 Charlie Dean (capt), 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Lauren Bell, 11 Tilly Corteen-Coleman
New Zealand: 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Melie Kerr (capt), 4 Maddy Green, 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Izzy Gaze (wk), 7 Izzy Sharp, 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Nensi Patel, 10 Rose Mair, 11 Bree Illing
3.08pm: Right, look sharp. Providing there is no more rain, we're going to have a 3.30pm toss for 4pm start. That's a rapid improvement in prospects (although the radar is still a bit blotchy)! Start doing those star jumps, people
Sounds like we're looking at a 32-overs-a-side contest, as things stand
2.42pm "Sun's out, covers coming off, pitch still under wraps," says Valkerie. Lies.
2.27pm ... and it's raining again! As you were!
Ryan: "Sat in a pub around the corner from the ground, everytime it improves and we get close to an inspection, it rains again. One of those days. The landlord is happy though"
2.14pm Our next inspection is at ... [drumroll] ... 2.40pm! Time enough to make a sandwich. Back in a bit!
Shadow-Shell: "After almost 2 hours of rain watch here, I thought I will go to IPL and finally have some cricket, nope, it's raining there too"
2.08pm What's occurring out there then? Well, it looks grim out there, frankly. Damp and glistening on the covers, but blue skies all around so there's eternal hope. But the full covers are in place, and there's no earthly prospect of a start any time soon. We await another inspection date.
As you were. In case you missed it, here's the Men's Test squad. Oh, and Liam Dawson (remember him?) has just quit first-class cricket. He played against India last summer, but has decided enough is enough now... more to follow in a bit!
1.40pm Right, let's try this again shall we? Another inspection has been set, this time for 2.05pm. The rain continues to lurk... will we find a sufficient gap in the showers? Do fish fly? Well, some of them do ...
1.24pm Well, that inspection deadline has come and gone without fanfare... "About to get a bit soggy," says Valkerie, in less decorous terms. Ho hum... the cut-off time, we believe, is 5.38pm for a 20-over contest, so still some time to work with. But that forecast looks intermittently apocalyptic.
12.50pm: Positives news! "Bright sun, covers coming off," reports Valkerie. Sounds like the weather is blowing through pretty quickly... although there's potentially more wet stuff on the way. Anyway, sit tight, because the plan is for a pitch inspection at 1.15pm
12.40pm: Seems like a steady drizzle for now, sadly. The brollies are up, and covers in place. Could be a bit of a wait. In the meantime, there has been some news from the men's international set-up that we can bring you - England have named a 15-man squad for the first Test against New Zealand, with first call-ups for Emilio Gay, James Rew and Sonny Baker, and a notable return for Ollie Robinson
12.32pm: Toss time... at least in theory. But it looks like the covers are being dragged back on. Sounds like another shower is just sweeping in. Confirmation that we have a delayed toss, as the players and officials head for shelter while the groundstaff do their work
12.20pm: Valkerie Baynes reports that it is "soggy in Northampton, but blue sky is winning and the sun bursting through". There's a chance of showers through the afternoon, though that shouldn't stop us from getting a game in. Valkerie was also on hand for yesterday's press engagements, as Lauren Bell and Maddy Green reflected on two nervy, error-strewn performances up in Durham
12.15pm: Hello, hello, and welcome to Northampton. Dear old Wantage Road - or the Cinch County Ground, as it has recently been rechristened. Victory for England in the first ODI was far from a cinch, as the last-wicket pair of Charlie Dean and Tilly Corteen-Coleman got them over the like, denying New Zealand what would have been a hard-fought win as they strove to defend 210. England's three debutants will return battle-hardened for this one, while NZ will be looking for a more complete performance in a bid to level the series. Stand by for news of the teams and toss shortly
