Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Play eventually got underway at Chelmsford at 10.50am. Lunch will be at 12.30pm, as planned, but tea looks like it will be moved back by 10 minutes.

However, by the time we are aproaching tea we could all be swimming home, judging by the radar!

Matt Critchley has also reached his century in the first two overs of the day. He resumed this morning on 97. The century, his second against Durham, came in 137 balls and included 12x4 and a six.

Essex are now only six runs behind, as this partnership continues to build. It's now worth 169, with Dean Elgar on 145. The bowling looks particularly blunt too. Expect Essex to end up with a decent lead.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

It's been t-shirt and shorts weather so far this week in Chelmsford, but there is a distinctly different feel to things today and we have a delayed start this morning.

The temperature has dropped and we have heavy showers forecast for the majority of the day. This afternoon does not look too good either and I doubt we will see any play after 4.00pm if the radar is correct.

While Durham will be desperate to get on and try and get another bowling point on the board, the chances of them actually doing that, based on what we saw yesterday, seems unlikely.

The bowling attack looks particularly blunt and Dean Elgar and Matt Critchley had little in the way of issues while out in the middle. Their partnership is 154. Elgar has 140 and Critchley 97.

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Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham have taken the new ball and they need to use it well because Essex are only 44 behind now.

Dean Elgar's century is his second in a row here against Durham. He's now on 132, while Matt Critchley is looking to join him on three figures and is now on 82. Critchley already has a century and seven half centuries against the visitors.

The introduction of the new ball yesterday did Durham no favours, with Jamie Porter taking three quick wickets in the final session. Durham need something similar to go in their favour today.

But a bonus pount is only runs away and the arrival of it will take Essex level on points with Sussex on 130!

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Martin Emmerson
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Colin Ackermann was handed the ball and struck with his fourth delivery. He bowled Charlie Allison on 33.

Essex now trail Durham by 146 runs in the sunshine of Chelmsford.

Crucially though, Dean Elgar is still out in the middle and has 93. He got 120* in the bore draw here last season and from that experience Durham will know he is capable of batting all day.

As for Ackermann, who is a part-time spinner, I think he will have a lot of bowling to do today because Durham have only got three seamers in their team.

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