Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

The sun is out in Der-bados. It's probably the first time the sun has been out four days in a row here.

There seems to be more fight and resolution about Derbyshire this season.

They didn't win a game in 2023, only one last season - they are looking for a second win of the season here.

50 for Eskinazipublished at 11:55 British Summer Time

11:55 BST

Derby 472 v Middx 315 & 108-1 f/o

Image source, Rex Features

Leg side from Jack Morley and Stephen Eskinazi tickles the ball behind square for a 50 of his own, his second this season after making 57 at Canterbury v Kent.

105 balls and seven fours.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

Richard Johnson the Middlesex coach is on a walk around the ground and stops to applaud Max Holden's 50.

He once took 10-45 here in 1994, Middlesex's best post-war figures...

50 for Max Holdenpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time

11:53 BST

Derby 472 v Middx 315 & 107-1 f/o

Image source, Rex Features

Alex Thomson bowls to Max Holden on 49. Driven to long on getting on to the back foot and that's his 50.

89 balls with six fours. His fourth score of 50 or more in a highly productive season to date.

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

Both batters are on 49*.

If something's going to happen, it's got to happen quite quickly for Derbyshire here...

Frustrating times for Derbyshire.

Max holden tries to drive Jack Morley outside off and that ball beats everyone for four byes.

That turned a lot.

Holden gets one to deep mid wicket and Stephen Eskinazi drives through the off side for one.

That's the Middlesex 100 in the 31st over.

Holden pulls behind square for one to move to 48.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

The probability, with three around the bat as it looped quite high, as that someone's got to take it.

The harder one was the drop from keeper Guest, the miss from David Lloyd was probably easier but it looped quite high over him.

That's the first genuine chance of the day and these are precious on a slow surface like this one.

Another chance goes down! Stephen Eskinazi on 46 appears to squeeze a ball between inside edge and pad lunging forward but neither short leg nor leg slip can get to it.

Glove perhaps? He's ripping a glove off so that must be it.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

It was hit extremely hard at Blair Tickner and he just parried it really. If it hadn't thumped into his hands it probably would have thumped into his nose.

He'll be disappointed but if he had taken it we would have been running out of superlatives.

He's lucky it didn't do some damage...

Holden dropped on 46published at 11:40 British Summer Time

11:40 BST

Derbyshire 472 v Middlesex 315 & 94-1 f/o

Bowling change. We now have spin at both ends as Jack Morley is coming on to bowl some slow left arm.

Max Holden tries to pull square and bottom edges the ball into his pads and to the turf.

Bit risky with a short leg and leg slip.

A slog sweep to mid wicket is a safer option. Nobody there and that's four runs.

Another sweep and Max Holden is dropped at short mid wicket!

Parried by Blair Tickner.

Max Holden goes back to Alex Thomson to cut the spinner to point for one.

A leisurely pause in play as Martin Andersson picks up a helmet and moves in to leg slip.

Stephen Eskinazi blocks into the on side.

We also have a slip and a short leg.

Eskinazi blocks into the off side now and sees out the over.

Last evening Joe G messaged us, saying...

County Championship cricket was moved to a Friday start to allow people to see a full weekend's play. Come Sunday afternoon, one match remains out of five. Settling in and batting for a while seems to be a lost art.

It's got some people talking...

Jim J: Have to disagree with Joe. Looking at the tables, there has still been a high proportion of draws this season so far. One match-week of games not going to four days doesn't mean anything at this point.

Do you think the game has changed, with players more intent on batting quickly than digging in? Why do you think that is? Let us know using the #bbccricket on social media and we'll continue the conversation here.

Blair Tickner continues to charge in and Stephen Eskinazi sways away from a leg side bouncer.

It's sort of a brisk trot rather than a charge, actually.

A leg gully comes in. Leg theory here.

Eskinazi is leaving the ball, albeit very late. There really aren't many scoring options with persistent leg side bumpers.

Not risk free, anyway. Maiden over.

Image source, Rex Features

The scorebook points to a comfortable Notts win, but this was a hard-fought contest by two teams who began the round vying for top spot in the table.

Had it not been for a ninth-wicket stand of 71 between Liam Patterson-White and Josh Tongue, Notts would've fallen well below 300 on first innings after routing Sussex for 169.

Sussex drop one spot to third with a home match to come against basement-boys Worcestershire on Friday week while Notts remain top, though they also miss the next round of games before a home match against Hampshire.

Notts captain Haseeb Hameed told the ECB reporter's network:

"We knew it was a big game for us, a top-of-table clash, so it’s really pleasing to come out with a win."

On the ninth-wicket stand:

"The way the lower order fought to get us to 300 was massive as well after we had lost a few wickets yesterday morning.

"For Liam Patterson-White to come in for his first game back was outstanding, with both bat and ball throughout the game."

Sussex coach Paul Farbrace said:

“Notts have played very well but we are disappointed with the way we have lost the game.“The first morning the ball did a lot before lunch and we lost wickets but in the afternoon we had a chance to play better and score some runs and we didn’t take advantage of that.

"Probably it was a 250-260 wicket, so straight away you are looking at a 70-80 run gap."

Image source, BBC/Rex Features

While all eyes are on Division Two today, there's also time to look back at how the fledgling Division One table began to take shape on Sunday...

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

The deficit is down to 68 already, so Middlesex perhaps feel attack is the best form of defence.

Max Holden is fine to continue and now Alex Thomson continues to bowl his off spin from the other end.

Max Holden is halfway down the track as Stephen Eskinazi turns a ball to leg but he's been sent back.

Middlesex are certainly keen to get on with it.

Eskinazi keeps the strike with a deflection to fine leg for one.

Holden bruisedpublished at 11:23 British Summer Time

11:23 BST

Derby 472 v Middx 315 & 88-1 f/o

In fact that Blair Tickner bouncer struck Max Holden on the shoulder as he ducked.

The physio is coming on.

Blair Tickner has been expensive this morning but that won't faze Derbyshire while the host team holds the innings advantage.

Middlesex 73 behind now.

He bowls around the wicket to Max Holden, who defends.

An off side near full toss is driven to backward point for four.

Holden ducks a bouncer to see out the over.

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

Martin Andersson bowled in the warm-up this morning with his leg heavily strapped above the knee.

That's perhaps why we haven't seen him too much - only five overs in the match so far.