County Championship: Only 28 balls bowled between Essex and Surrey

No play was possible after 11:30 BST between Essex and Surrey on day three

Essex and Surrey were left frustrated at a rain-swept Chelmsford as only 28 balls were possible in two brief spells on day three of their County Championship match.

Essex have now lost an accumulated 458 overs to the weather in their first four Championship rounds, the equivalent of an entire four-day match.

There were two interruptions inside the first half-an-hour, the second of which proved terminal.

Just nine runs were added in the 22 minutes possible, although play was not officially called off until 16:23 BST. The forecast, however, is more promising for the final day.

Play started promptly at 11:00 as Essex, resuming on 15 without loss, looked to further extend their 74-run first-innings lead after dismissing Surrey for 240 on the second day.

Nick Browne turned the first ball from Kemar Roach to third man for three runs.

Sir Alastair Cook saw out the next four balls before the players headed back to the pavilion as the first shower struck.

They were back six minutes later for a longer stint, during which the Essex openers added a further six runs, including a typical Cook flick off his hip for four, taking them to 24 without loss, a lead of 98 runs.

However, the first-wicket partnership was not without alarm.

Roach, who had bowled well without reward in the first innings, beat the outside of Browne's bat on several occasion, while a mid-pitch mix-up between the pair could have resulted in a run-out with a more accurate throw.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.