7.30pm: Match abandoned. Double-header, double-washout. Manchester Originals move to three points after three games; Northern Superchargers get on the board after defeats in their first two. Many thanks to those of you who have stuck with our coverage throughout, and we'll be back tomorrow for London Spirit vs Trent Rockets at Lord's. Cheers!

7.23pm: Massive bolt of lightning behind the media centre which has stopped the inspection before it even started. And there are still umbrellas up... this looks terminal.

"Umbrellas going up now... raining pretty hard," says George at the ground. "Strong suspicion that's it."

7.10pm: Hmm, five minutes until the inspection and it looks like the groundstaff are actually dragging more sheet covers back on, attaching them to the main hover-cover again.

6.55pm: "Covers coming off again," reports George Dobell. Positive!

David: "It's like the old saying goes: It's raining in Manchester."

6.50pm: The latest from George at EOT: "Big cheer here as sun comes out. Whether it's popped out or if it's out, out remains to be seen."

Dave: "I can't believe you were allowed to mention the thriller at Taunton on this commentary…the ECB are going to have you muted" -- The benefits of independent coverage!

The verdict is in from the first inspection... Another inspection at 7.15pm. The minimum is a 25-ball-per-side game, with a cut-out time of around 8.40pm. Umbrellas up in the stands.

Dezz: "I agree they need to change the double headers next year, but for a different reason - the men always playing on a used pitch is duff!! Occasionally maybe, but every game is a bit much."

Abdul: "This is the issue I have with having two matches on the same ground in a day. With this kinda weather it spoils your whole day. What you think?" -- It's been lashing it down almost everywhere in the country today.

Neil Siriwardan: "Same as last year again.... when it is raining in Manchester, it is sunny in Southampton and vice versa"

George Dobell at Emirates Old Trafford: "So, umpires and groundstaff talking now. Dry but very dark cloud overhead." Moments later he adds... "Raining! All covers coming back on." Bad news I'm afraid folks.

6.15pm: Here come the umpires... looks like those sheet covers are actually being dragged back on with a dark cloud looming behind The Point.

Nearly time for that inspection and the side covers are being peeled off the square.

Meanwhile, a thriller at Taunton in the Royal London Cup. Follow the final stages of the chase here.

6.15pm inspection, George Dobell reports. It looks significantly brighter than it did two hours ago, but there is still a fair bit of standing water around the place, and George tells me the inspection is an hour away because of "waterlogging". He also notes there is some hail in the forecast at 7pm....

Here's the official line: "If no further rain the match officials will do a pitch inspection at 18:15. This is due to saturated outfield from the earlier rain."

6.00pm: Ian Ward on Sky says that their pod was flooded! "I've never seen rain like that in the summer," adds Mike Atherton. We've still got full covers on but it's a lot brighter than it was.

Dan: "Hail and rain here in Stafford, 1.5hrs drive south of Manchester"

Meanwhile, we have a nine-over game in the T20I between West Indies and Pakistan, or as CWI aren't marketing it, The Fifty-Four. Follow live here.

5.00pm: "Bright and sunny here since 3.30pm," reports Peter Della Penna in the Manchester area, around four miles away from Old Trafford, which makes me slightly more optimistic about our chances of seeing some cricket today. Though the forecast suggested there would be another big dump of rain shortly after 5pm...

Meanwhile, we have injury updates for you on both Lockie Ferguson and Jofra Archer. I've also been speaking to the Originals' legspinning allrounder Calvin Harrison about his unusual journey into the professional game and now the Hundred.

3.20pm: Afternoon all. The prospects of play look slim at this stage, with the women's match abandoned already due to torrential rain and lightning strikes at Emirates Old Trafford.

If we do get on the pitch, Carlos Brathwaite and David Willey will captain the Originals and the Superchargers respectively, with Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes away on England Test duty.