A few moments ago, the umpires returned to the middle to take another light reading and the players have been waved on to the field.

Jamie Smith will resume on seven not out, facing Eathan Bosch.

Dan Lawrence is at the non-striker's end on 10 not out.

25 overs left in theory, but that feels a little optimistic.

Ollie Robinson is trying to rein in his attacking instincts, but after five dots to Matthew Waite he can hold back no longer.

The wicketkeeper batter doesn't time it so well and he may have been sweating for a moment as the ball just clears the man at cover.

He takes two to move to seven off 14 balls and bring up three figures for the hosts.

Jack Leaning is being looked at by Kent physio Dan George.

He's been out there for a while after recovering from that broken left hand. He has 31 from 58 balls but given Kent's list of absentees they will not want to lose him again.

He's ok to continue, and cracks Kyle Abbott through a gap to bring up another boundary. Gutsy Yorkshireman.

Tom Abell leaves Ed Barnard outside off stump and then gets right behind the line of straighter deliveries to block out the over.

Close for Tom Banton, who glances Jacob Bethell very close to Sam Hain at leg slip.

Banton safely flicks the third ball through mid wicket to take the partnership with Tom Abell to 100 runs in 174 balls.

It's gloomy out there and the floodlights are casting shadows across the Riverside.

Nathan Smith catches the outside edge of Colin Ackermann's bat but it's along the ground to gully.

Ackermann tries a big drive but miscues straight back to Smith on the bounce before timing a shot nicely straight to the fielder. He stays on 20.

Maiden.

Tom Banton seizes on a bit of width from Jacob Bethell, driving the left arm spinner square for one.

There's a hint of turn here for Jacob Bethell, bowling with a slip and a leg slip in place.

The Bears are right back into this game with a wicket or two before stumps tonight.

22 overs left tonight if conditions allow.

Tawanda Muyeye is having a pretty torrid time out there, with Kent's predicament surely not helping him

He has six from 28 balls but has seen Kyle Abbott beat the bat twice in three deliveries and is not timing it.

As if to prove the point he does actually move into double figures from the final ball with an edge which flashes past the slips to the boundary at third.

Abbott looks frustrated but he's creating openings at least.

James Fuller takes over the bowling at the other end bowling to Jack Leaning who is on 31.

Matthew Waite into the attack for the first time as Tom Taylor takes a breather.

Ollie Robinson is through for a leg bye off the first ball, but Waite finds his line immediately to restrict Colin Ackermann.

He gets a bit of shape with his final ball and a thick outside edge to point gives Ackermann a single.

The lead creeps up to 176.

Shot! Tom Abell can't have been far away from LBW a couple of overs ago, but there's no doubt about the quality of that shot, cutting late and firmly through point for four.

Tom Banton scoops a back of a length ball to square leg from Ed Barnard to bring up the innings 150 in the 43rd over.

Tom Banton is giving himself a little bit more time and he's reading the ball well.

He has to be careful. He's played some really good shots, he's played carefully but he's had a number of wafts.

Worcestershire will know that they've got an awful lot of work to do here.

Tom Abell sees out the Jacob Bethell over but must have been close to LBW.

He didn't appear to have got a bat on that but may just have been saved by height.

Tom Barnard picks up a couple of runs off Ed Barnard at the other end.

Finger-spinner Jack Carson comes on to bowl some off-spin and finds some turn with his very first delivery, which beats Emilio Gay.

Gay then gets the benefit of the doubt from the fourth ball as Carson skids one through which thumps the pad and loops up into the hands of short leg Oli Carter.

Outside the line? Maybe just. But an unpleasant over for Gay.

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Jacob Bethell bowls his left arm spin to Tom Banton, who is on 49...

He tries to clip the third ball round the corner but doesn't clear leg gully.

Got it this time! Driven into cover for one and that's a 77-ball 50 with five fours and a six, rescuing the host team from the depths of 57-3.

That's his fourth score of 50 or more in a highly productive season in which he is averaging a tad over 46.

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From the very next delivery Emilio Gay becomes the first player in the match to post a half-century as he clips down to backward square leg for a couple.

He has hit nine balls for four in his 76-ball stint and then brings up the Northants 100 with a glorious punch past the stumps at the other end to long-on for his 10th four.

Penny for John Simpson's thoughts?

If you need added jeopardy there are clouds gathering over Wantage Road.

We're off the field.

That's a pity after Surrey's biggest Championship challengers were continuing to pile on the pressure after falling behind on first innings.

Dan Lawrence and Jamie Smith survive unbeaten on 10 and seven respectively.

One wicket each for the persevering Shane Snater and Jamie Porter.

David Bedingham eases Tom Taylor away and lets his runner Scott Borthwick scamper through for two.

The next ball, Taylor overpitches and Bedingham unleashes a super drive straight down the ground for his third boundary.

A single takes him to 17 off just 20 balls and the partnership with Colin Ackermann (15) moves to 26.

Tom Banton moves to 48 with a glance to square leg on the front foot off Chris Woakes for two.

He ducks under a Woakes bouncer and sees out the over.

The partnership with Tom Abell is worth 83.

Sean Hunt swings the ball away from Emilio Gay who edges the ball behind but although he gets his left hand to the ball, keeper John Simpson cannot hold on.

Simpson stays face-down on the ground for a good 10 seconds while Gay bends over in his crease and thanks his lucky stars.

How costly could that one prove?