Width from Dan Worrall and Paul Walter is forward to drive through cover for four runs.

Worrall tries bowling round the wicket and strikes Walter on the midriff with the last ball. Ouch.

The pitch has been described as a "new ball pitch" so this is a vital session for both teams.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Andy Umeed will open for the hosts.

Kohler-Cadmore will take guard first, facing Chris Woakes.

This could go downhill quickly for Essex as Jordan gets a length ball, wide of off, to barely get up off the floor.

The ball is taken at ankle height by keeper Ben Foakes.

Paul Walter takes Essex to 100 in 28 overs with a flick to fine leg off the last ball of the over.

Keith Barker opens the face to guide Nathan Gilchrist away through the vacant gully position to the boundary and move on to 17.

James Fuller then moves into the 30s with a swivelling pull off Matt Parkinson to the rope at fine leg to begin the next over.

That is 59 Hampshire fours to go with Fuller's solitary six in this innings so far.

Simply too many, from a Kent perspective.

Rain stops playpublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 1 July

14:09 BST 1 July

Leics 179 & 164-5 v Middx 86 - Leics lead by 257

Not another delay.

Three balls after the Harry Swindells wicket, the rain arrives at Grace Road and the covers are brought on.

The umpires are looking carefully at the Leicester skies.

There is brightness around and we don't anticipate the players will be off for long.

Lewis Goldsworthy walks back with 71 runs to his name, but will have to set himself again.

Kasey Aldridge wraps the innings up for the hosts and denies Michael Burgess a 150 score.

Burgess is down on a bending knee trying to loft over long on and he's picked out Jack Leach.

Back in 10 minutes.

Matt Critchley has one hand off the ball as he glances a wide one from Dan Worall to fine leg for four.

The 50 partnership for the fourth wicket comes in just 60 balls as Matt Critchley upper cuts Jordan Clark in the next over with a thick edge through backward point for four

James Fuller steps back in his crease and pulls Matt Parkinson through midwicket for four to move to 25*.

Still more than 73 overs remaining on day two after weather robbed us of some action yesterday.

You'd imagine Kent will be batting before stumps, but what might the scoreboard look like by then?

Kasey Aldridge bowls outside off stump to Oliver Hannon-Dalby, who deliberately plays well inside the line to see out the 108th over.

Barring an absolute blitz, there will be no fifth batting point for the Bears.

Nonetheless, Michael Burgess shapes to drive over long on and misses Migael Pretorius - who gets the ball to nip away.

The fourth ball is driven to sub fielder Shoaib Bashir at deep cover point for one.

Oliver Hannon-Dalby plays inside the line and then defends the last ball down the ground.

Rain stops play at Chesterfieldpublished at 13:55 British Summer Time 1 July

13:55 BST 1 July

Derby 76 v Yorks 416-6

How very annoying.

We've managed just three overs before the rain returns and the covers are back on at Queen's Park after the wet stuff brought an early end to the morning session.

James Wharton will rue his luck, losing his wicket to his third ball after the resumption as his magnificent knock of 188 was ended by Daryn Dupavillon.

Jonathan Tattersall remains and has moved to within seven of a century.

It's blowing in pretty heavily and this could be a lengthy delay.

James Fuller resumes on 21 with Keith Barker on nine as Hampshire seek to build an even bigger total after being put in by Kent yesterday morning.

Nathan Gilchrist takes the opening over of the afternoon.

Matt Critchley is performing a vital repair job for Essex and resumes on 39 not out, facing Dan Worrall from the Vauxhall End.

Paul Walter is at the other end on 24.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

This rain looks like it's set in for a while so the covers are being dragged into position by the ground staff and the umpires are walking off.

This game is still very much in the balance.

The rain has got heavy and I think there might be enough rain to fall in the next hour or so that might see us not having any more play today.

Richard Wilford
BBC Radio WM commentator

I think Warwickshire are into grind mode because the longer they keep Somerset out there the more frustrated they're going to be.

The Bears are batting for time here and not for the fifth batting point.

Michael Burgess defends his wicket against the bowling of Craig Overton and then lets a wider ball go outside off stump.

He misses a leg glance off the fifth ball and edges the last one past a diving gully.

Maiden over. Much more clement weather conditions at Taunton after a grey, drizzly start this morning.

Rain stops play at Chester-le-Streetpublished at 13:43 British Summer Time 1 July

13:43 BST 1 July

Durham 190 & 61-5 v Worcs 112 - Durham lead by 139

No sooner had David Bedingham made the long walk to the middle then he's walking back to the pavilion as the rain returns and forces the players off.