STAGING the North-East's biggest ever cricket match on St Swithin's Day may seem like asking for trouble.

Legend says that rain falls on St Swithin's Day then it will rain for the next 40 days and all cricket fans know better than to tempt fate over the vagaries of the British weather.

But, according to the forecasters, England's clash with the West Indies should not be interrupted too badly by the rain.

The outlook for Chester-le-Street today is for some sunshine, but cool with a lot of cloud and some showers. Winds are expected to be moderate with maximum temperatures reaching 17C or 63F.

With the first summer of the millennium proving to be a damp squib, the prospect of another 40 days of rain is enough to fill cricket-lovers and the rest of us with dread.

But Neil Talboys of the PA Weather Centre said: "In some places it is going to rain on St Swithin's Day tomorrow but it isn't going to rain for the next 40 days. It never has, as far as I know. Frankly, the legend is a load of rubbish.''