The one newcomer in this England squad, who'll be as frustrated as anyone about the rain delay, is uncapped left-arm spinner Alex Hartley, whose introduction is being discussed on TMS.

Blackburn-born Hartley, 22. plays her county cricket for Middlesex, but will be part of the Surrey Stars squad for the Super League next month. 

The women's cricket website CricketHer recently turned the spotlight on Hartley, external - praising her accuracy as a spinner, though noting that she'll likely be a number 11 batter at international level, and hinting that her fielding is more Monty then Jonty.

Image source, Don Miles

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"It is not really a revolutionary side, it is just creating opportunities for players on the fringes to get that time in the middle."

As well as Charlotte Edwards, another big name missing from the England squad for this series is wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, who is taking an indefinite break from the game.

Taylor spoke movingly to the BBC earlier this month about how she is taking time out to deal with anxiety issues, with which she has struggled for nearly four years.

Image source, Getty Images

Umpires having a chin-wag in the middle, covers still on, but both teams are very much in "having a cup of coffee on the balcony" mode.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

"I think less can go wrong with Anya Shrubsole if she were captain.

"Heather Knight has got to get back in form with the bat, Anya doesn’t have to worry about that, she will always bowl well.

"It is not a bad decision, just not the one I would have made."

BBC Test Match Special

And if you're an overseas listener hoping to listen to the pre-match chat on TMS, this is the link you require., external

If you're just joining us and hoping for some cricket, I'm afraid rain has delayed the start at Leicester. It's been similarly damp at Derbyshire, where there's been no play in the County Championship today, and at Trent Bridge where England's men are preparing for the start of their ODI series against Sri Lanka tomorrow.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

"If it were down to me, I would have gone for Anya Shrubsole. She is very calculated and has a cricket thinking brain, far beyond anyone in that squad.

"She is completely different. She is quiet and contemplated.

"When you speak to her about simple things she is so switched on, a real deep thinker."

Charlotte Edwards
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Heather Knight has got to be herself and do it her way. She is a tough cookie and I think she is ready for the challenge.

"She'll take to it like a duck to water and she has to not put too much pressure on herself and pull on the experience of senior players.

"She won't be fazed and should look forward to it. It will be a very proud day for her."

Alison Mitchell
BBC Test Match Special

"I spoke to Julia Price, the coach of Hobart Hurricanes, out in Australia and she could not speak highly enough of Heather Knight's captaincy."

Knight captained the unfancied Hurricanes to the semi-finals of the inaugural Women's Big Bash League last winter.

Charlotte Edwards
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Little things will be difficult, like turning up last night knowing not going to be part of the game.

"But I am very relaxed, I'm still playing and training hard. I am really excited to watch the two teams play today."

It's still raining so safe to say, the inspection will be delayed.

If you want to take a *really* pessimistic view of today, if it keeps raining, they can start a 20-over thrash at 19:50 BST. If they can't even manage that, as per ICC Women's Championship rules, there is a reserve day in place tomorrow.

Charles Dagnall - who used to trundle in here for Leicestershire on a regular basis - assures TMS listeners that the weather here always comes from over the scoreboard. But worryingly, Ebony Rainford-Brent is struggling to see the scoreboard...

Here's the BBC forecast for Leicester today:

Charlotte Edwards
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"I have had to come to terms with it. I am disappointed I can’t be part of the team but it is a new chapter for me and one I am very excited about.

"Today is the start and I am enjoying being on this side of it. I can eat what I like now, so I'm hoping there are going to be some cakes in the TMS box!"

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"There have been so many changes, a lot for the better and if you are a young cricketer it gives you room to get involved. 

"But also public interest is up. People are interested to see how it will play out. 

"England should dominate but there is enough in it to see what this new England team should be like."

As we've mentioned, Heather Knight takes charge of England for the first time today and you can read her thoughts ahead of the game in her BBC Sport column. 

Knight says she is "very proud and hugely excited to lead this group of girls" in this new chapter - while she also reflects on how she found out about her appointment, and the retirement of her predecessor Edwards.

Ulp. It's just started raining again...

BBC Test Match Special

However, despite the rain, the good ship Test Match Special has taken to the airwaves. And they've even made a couple of new signings for this series...

Joining commentators Charles Dagnall and Alison Mitchell, and regular summarisers Ebony Rainford-Brent and Isa Guha today will be two recently retired England international stars - ex-captain Charlotte Edwards and long-serving batter Lydia Greenway.

Image source, Getty Images

It being England, I'm afraid the weather has intervened, and we're not going to start on time. Instead, there will be an inspection at the scheduled start time of 14:00 BST. TMS's Henry Moeran tweeted this picture earlier - will they be the only English ducks on show at Grace Road today, we wonder?

Afternoon, everyone - and welcome to the start of a new beginning. For the first time in a couple of decades, the name of Charlotte Marie Edwards is not among those in England's squad.

The long-standing England skipper announced her retirement from internationals last month, her place secure as a legend of the women's game. But as they say, the show must go on.

Welcome to the Heather Knight era.

Image source, PA