Batting first here on a seaming wicket in Autumn is looking like a very tough task.

Today, 26 September, marks the latest start to a first-class game at Taunton.

A bit of respite for Somerset as Tom Abell fences at Mohammed Abbas from the crease and edges wide of the four slips for four runs.

Soft hands helped him there.

Archie Vaughan scrambles a leg bye off Kyle Abbott.

Abell keeps the strike, scooping a slower ball into wide mid on for a single.

Tom Lawes squares up Essex opener Dean Elgar but plays it safely enough to Ryan Patel in the offside.

Back-to-back maidens.

Essex will be wary of Lawes. He took 4-26 when the sides met in the reverse fixture back in June.

That was a top-of-the-table clash back then.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

Somerset are obviously hoping to use their spinners later in the game.

Hence playing Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach together in the Championship for the first time.

But the plan isn't going to work if you don't get any runs in the first innings!

Image source, Rex Features

With the title in the bag, Surrey look keen to give the wider squad a go.

Slow left-armer Yousef Majid, wicketkeeper Josh Blake and middle-order batter Ollie Sykes all make their first-class debuts.

James Taylor comes into the attack for just his 12 senior red-ball appearance.

Maiden from Kemar Roach.

Archie Vaughan is beaten outside off by the first ball from Mohammad Abbas and then plays inside the line.

There was a lot of rain here yesterday but we actually had blue skies at the coin toss.

Abbas gets one ball to nip back a bit and clip the top of the pad, not quite carrying to James Vince at slip.

The fifth ball is turned to square leg for the first run of the match.

Tom Lammonby plays and misses the last ball outside off stump.

Kyle Abbott will bowl from the Pavilion End and his first ball is leg side, glanced very fine for three.

Image source, Rex Features

Kemar Roach around the wicket to left-hander Dean Elgar with three slips in attendance.

Dean Elgar drives and picks up a single off his second ball to get the Essex account up and running.

Robin Das off the mark with an easy single to mid-off.

And the sun, momentarily blazes across the ground. Nice.

Jack: Looking at the weather radar, hard to believe we will get much play in the Midlands/North today…

We don't want to look Jack.

Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby will get this innings started for the hosts.

Mohammad Abbas will bowl the first ball of the match.

Image source, Rex Features

Somerset have missed out on a maiden Championship title after a disappointing loss to Lancashire at Old Trafford last week.

But they remain a formidable team, no doubt keen to reclaim second spot, currently occupied by their opponents after a thumping win at home last week over Worcestershire.

Just two points separate the two sides.

Somerset make two changes to their bowling attack, bringing in Shoaib Bashir and Alfie Ogborne for Brett Randell and Craig Overton.

Hampshire are unchanged from the last round.

Essex skipper Tom Westley won the toss and has decided to bat first against the champions under mainly cloudy skies in Chelmsford.

Openers Dean Elgar and Robin Das stride to the crease, with the South African to face the first ball of the match from Kemar Roach.

Fourth-placed Essex will be keen to spoil the title party, I'm sure.

Play!

So, we have play at Chelmsford and Taunton.

Let's hope for some better news elsewhere as the day unfolds...

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But the result of that 10:00 BST inspection at Sussex is another delay.

That's not good news for Middlesex, who as we've just mentioned need a victory to stand any realistic chance of promotion.

Only two games starting on time now.

Yorkshire are on the cusp of a return to Division One following their relegation in 2022.

They take a 15-point lead over Middlesex into their final game at home to Northants - so a maximum of 10 points are needed to seal promotion.

Middlesex, away at already promoted Sussex, must win - ideally handsomely, and hope Yorkshire are beaten.

Yes, yes a maximum points draw could also be enough for Middlesex but Yorkshire would have to earn no more than one point. So a heatwave is more likely in Barnsley this week.

Kent's relegation to the second tier looked likely long before it was mathematically sealed with an innings defeat by Nottinghamshire seven days ago.

Lancashire looked like they may join them in the penultimate round, but fought back to clinch a brilliant win over Somerset and take the relegation scrap to the bitter end.

The Red Rose remain second-bottom and favourites to go down, lying 15 points adrift of Nottinghamshire in eighth place, and 20 behind Warwickshire who are still nominally catchable.

Lancashire head to Worcester with a 16-point win essential to keep their hopes alive topped up with a healthy number of maximum batting and bowling points.

A draw will likely be enough for the other two who meet at Trent Bridge.

Notts welcome their Midlands rivals Warwickshire knowing 10 points will guarantee them Division One cricket next season.

And the Bears need just five points, regardless of what Lancs can pull out of the fire.