The rain now appears to be heading inexorably towards Grace Road.

Sam Northeast takes a single off Scott Currie as Glamorgan chew up another over.

Chris Cooke turns the ball around the corner to the fine leg boundary for four before showing his first bit of aggression, flat-batting the next ball.

A good sliding stop from Matt Salisbury keeps him down to three and Cooke doubles his previous score in two balls - he has 14.

Kimber then concedes a second boundary of the over to Sam Northeast.

Generally as cricket fans that's what you want to see, an umpire really consider it and that's what he did and the finger was raised.

But Shane Snater was again the man as he was in the early stages when he got on Zak Crawley out lbw and Joey Evison for 16 follows.

Good captaincy from Tom Westley, he made some good calls over the past couple of days.

They have a way to go yet for a new club record score against Sussex, they have passed 600 on three occasions, but Middlesex have the lead at Lord's.

Luke Hollman tries to drive Danny Lamb, one hand comes off the bat, but a thick edge runs down to third man for four.

The sunshine is streaming across Wantage Road.

Umpires Anthony Harris and Paul Baldwin will leave the comfort of the pavilion for an inspection at 2.45pm.

Henry Brookes twice cuts Tom Alsop deliveries angled across him for four.

He works Tom Haines fine for four in the next over as he and Luke Hollman bring up a 50 partnership.

Just three runs needed now for a first-innings lead.

Sam Northeast drives Louis Kimber's second ball through the offside for his third boundary.

A single takes him to 24 and takes the lead to 154.

Scott Currie keeps the Glamorgan skipper honest in the next over and lets out a vain appeal to the final ball which strikes the pad. But only after bat.

There's 54 overs left in the day and the chances of a result are gradually ebbing away as dark clouds approach Grace Road.

Good news at Northampton where the sun has made another appearance - as have the Wantage Road groundstaff.

The sheets are being carefully removed from either side of the square and we could have play sooner rather than later.

Tom Alsop and Tom Haines now bowling in tandem at Lord's.

Alsop only has three first-class wickets but Middlesex continue to meander along with ones and twos.

Luke Hollman is 22 not out and Henry Brookes has 11.

Scott Currie comes on for a bowl as Ben Mike takes a well-earned breather.

Chris Cooke plays out five dots and then sways out of the way of a short ball which flew past his head.

Maiden.

Time for some spin as Louis Kimber comes into the attack for the first time in this innings, replacing Matt Salisbury.

Matt Critchley is trying his luck from round the wicket now, seeing if he can create problems out of the bowlers' footmarks.

He drops on short and Joey Evison pulls it away for four to mid-wicket.

We haven't had one of those for quite some time. Evison is 16 not out.

Matt Salisbury overpitches slightly and Sam Northeast pounces.

He drives through the packed legside to the deep midwicket boundary for his second four.

The skip moves to 17, adding to his first-innings knock of 61.

Ben Mike strays a little down leg and Chris Cooke flicks it off his pads for two.

He then punches through the gap at cover for his first boundary to take Glamorgan into three figures. It's in the air but safe.

We haven't had a wicket for 16 overs at Canterbury so these two - Joe Denly and Joey Evison - are doing the job Kent require.

There'll be no change of approach from Essex, though. All it takes is one false stroke against this pair of quality spinners.

We look set for a longer interruption than the earlier one at Northampton, ladies and gents.

Big sheets are added to all sides of the covers that are protecting the square.

This is no short, sharp shower.

It was Essex's session in the first couple of hours of the day, managing to take five wickets of Kent's second innings.

They need five more wickets to win the match with plenty of time to do it. Kent are very much struggling and Essex are looking favourites to win this one and to put pressure on leaders Surrey.

This is a fiery spell from Ben Mike and Chris Cooke plays out a maiden.

It's not without a bit of pain after he was struck on the upper part of his left arm.

The physio is on briefly at the end of the over with the magic spray.

A rush of blood by Joey Evison from the final ball of Matt Critchley's over. He's fortunate that a thick edge doesn't go to a fielder but is able to add three runs.

Image source, Rex Features

Ollie Robinson is swatted behind square for four behind square by Luke Hollman, and it's a no-ball too.

Middlesex need another 35 to overtake Sussex's first-innings total and to face another 10 overs to go beyond the number they had to bowl.

George Hill so nearly gets a second Yorkshire wicket.

An in-swinger leaves Ricardo Vasconcelos off the pitch and beats his outside edge. He did well not to get bat on that.

Next over Vishwa Fernando squares up Luke Procter who takes a little walk to square leg to clear his mind.

Oh no - here comes the rain.

Players trudge off for a second rain interruption of the day,

We've had just 5.2 overs this afternoon and won't want to lose many more from the day.

This is set up so nicely.