A bit of a flurry from Sussex as Tom Clark takes two successive fours off Ethan Bamber, driven down the ground on the front foot and through extra cover on the back.

Tom Haines picks up a four of his own off Tom Helm in the next over, off a thick edge from a loose drive between second slip and backward point.

Honestly. Who would be a bowler?

Fair play to both captains for making this rain-affected game interesting.

After each team forfeited an innings, it left Gloucestershire with a target of 382 for victory but they've fallen well short.

Glamorgan climb above Gloucestershire to finish sixth in Division Two.

James Wharton is half forward pushing the ball into the off side and runs halfway down the pitch before aborting the single.

Wharton opens the face and runs the second ball past backward point for a single.

15 overs left in theory.

Sooner or later, those repeated glances at the light meter were going to result in play being halted - and that's exactly what has just happened.

The players troop off with Warwickshire still trailing by 344. Sam Hain has 59 and Ed Barnard 21.

But the important takeaway from today's play is that, thanks to events at New Road, both teams are guaranteed a place in Division One again next year.

We're playing on. Left arm spinner Fateh Singh is bowling.

James Wharton tries to force the ball away on the back foot but is stopped at cover by George Bartlett.

The fourth ball is cut through point for one.

Mmm. Who will bowl the next over? It's still Jack White.

Will Luxton defends Jack White down the ground as the floodlights glow under the increasingly gloomy grey skies.

An appeal for LBW is turned down next ball. A bit high.

Maiden over.

Ah. The umpires are having a chat... 17 overs left. As it stands.

The light's not getting any better today, the umpires have decided - so we'll hopefully resume in the morning.

Lancashire's relegation was confirmed when they were bowled out for 177 - but no reason why these two sides shouldn't try to make a game of it on day four.

Worcestershire lead by three runs overall.

Not surprisingly, there's a distinct absence of tension at the moment and the umpires are constantly checking their light meters in between overs.

We're continuing for now, with Ed Barnard sweeping Farhan Ahmed majestically to the boundary - then trying to repeat the stroke later in the over and missing completely.

Barnard is on 17, with Sam Hain 56 not out at the other end.

Essex decide they fancy a bowl tonight and declare after passing 500.

There were three century-makers in that Essex innings - Dean Elgar (182), Tom Westley (135) and Matt Critchley (112).

Rory Burns and Dom Sibley open up for the champions.

Tom Helm bowls short and Tom Haines ducks under the bouncer.

The sun is shining at Hove but it's still hard to imagine we'll get the last 18 overs in.

Haines is hit on the pad by the last ball of the over but it isn't given.

A bit high and bowled from round the wicket.

There is evidence of swing from Jack White as Will Luxton turns away a leg stump ball for a single.

Shot! Gorgeous drive straight down the ground past leg stump at the other end for four.

A single glanced to leg by Luxton off Fateh Singh in the next over takes the Tykes to 300 in 67.3 overs.

That's two batting points.

50 more needed for a third to get back up to Division One.

Well, the relegation issue is decided but purely in the context of this match, we could still have an interesting finish in prospect.

Worcestershire's first-innings lead is a razor thin three runs - and Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby went out in an effort to build on that, but their stay at the crease lasted just a single over.

A maiden from Tom Bailey and that's all we'll get for now as the darkening sky prompts the umpires to take the players off.

The weather pattern at Leeds is not encouraging.

A second batting point is reachable before the elements get in the way but not a third. Not tonight.

Will Luxton defends Jack White down the ground to see out the 65th over of the innings.

James Wharton drives Fateh Singh into the off side for a single.

Singh tosses the ball up to Luxton, who lofts a drive not entirely convincingly down the ground for two.

No doubt the news of Lancashire's demise will have filtered across to Trent Bridge, so the pressure is off and now Nottinghamshire can focus on trying to finish their season with a victory.

Ed Barnard, who's come in to join Sam Hain, is 11 not out as the Bears - who are, of course, also safe - try to chip away at this large first-innings deficit.

They trail by 367 and surely it can't be in doubt that Nottinghamshire will enforce the follow-on if they get the opportunity.

Carter struck amidshipspublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 28 September

17:00 BST 28 September

Sussex 52-0 v Middlesex 271

Tom Helm is into the Middlesex attack for the first time and Tom Haines picks up a single into the off side.

Oli Carter is struck "amidships" and the ball squirts out into the on side for now run. Ouch. Very ouch.

He recovers quickly though and gets a thick but controlled edge wide of the slip cordon and through to deep third for four.

That's the Sussex 50 in 10.5 overs.

Fateh Singh gets through his overs very quickly! That one can't have lasted for much more than a minute.

James Wharton defends Jack White down the ground and takes his top hand off the bat defending the next ball into the on side.

Maiden over.

There's a bit of concern about dark cloud and possibly even rain here but we're fine to play for now.

All over for Lancashire as Anderson Phillip drills the first ball of the next over, from Logan van Beek, into the hands of the cover fielder.

Phillip is dismissed for 30 - and Lancashire can no longer gain sufficient bonus points to overhaul Nottinghamshire, even if they win this game.

The Red Rose drop into the second tier for the first time since 2019.

Warwickshire and Notts survive.

50 for Sam Hainpublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 28 September

16:53 BST 28 September

Notts 487 v Warks 115-4

Image source, Rex Features

Sam Hain's taken his time, but he finally goes past 50 for only the second time this season and it's been a fine knock to hold this Bears innings together.