50 for Slaterpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 24 May

16:15 BST 24 May

Yorks 159 v Notts 228 & 109-2

Image source, Rex Features

Ben Slater helps himself to a boundary from Dom Bess and he has his half century.

For all that he has not gone on to three figures, it is back-to-back 50s last week and now back-to-back 50s in this match.

While his first innings effort was a scratchy affair with the opener riding his luck, this one has been smoother.

Jonathan Doidge
BBC Radio Leeds cricket commentator

A very, very good delivery which both deviated and bounced.

Freddie McCann is walking off disappointingly. I'm not sure there if he's nicked that.

Durham reach tea after a slightly bemusing performance. Their lead is still a very healthy one - 236 - but there's a waft of carelessness in the way Somerset still have a sniff.

After securing a first-innings lead of 105, batters came and went with alarming regularity as Somerset chipped away, taking advantage of some questionable shots, along with some excellent bowling from Matt Henry (3-51).

You'd still fancy Durham to go on and win, but the way this match is going it's perhaps not the shoe-in it looked.

Middlesex have just lost their third wicket at Sophia Gardens, with Max Holden caught at second slip off Andy Gorvin for 42.

It's the second post-rain breakthrough by the home side, who also lost Luke Hollman, bowled through the gate for 11 while trying to drive James Harris.

Ian Holland (1) and Ben Cox (9) walk off unbeaten and with a firm grip of this contest at tea on day two.

A 256-run partnership between Rehan Ahmed and Lewis Hill has done the damage on a day which Lancs have found testing in the extreme.

Just two wickets, both to Tom Hartley, have come their way and the lead is 115 with five first innings wickets still up.

Gloucestershire making slow and steady progress as they reply to the home side's excellent first-innings recovery.

Saif Zaib's 150 and an excellent wag from the Northants tail has put them in total control and piled the scoreboard pressure on Gloucestershire.

They'll resume having lost only Ben Charlesworth but know there's a very, very long way to go to get back into this.

100 for Nottspublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 24 May

16:01 BST 24 May

Yorks 159 v Notts 228 & 100-1

Ben Slater executes a well-timed clip off his hip as Ben Coad strays leg side and the ball rolls down to the midwicket rope.

The Notts opener and Freddie McCann have all the time in the world to stroll through for an easy two to bring up the 100.

It takes the lead up to 169 with nine wickets in hand.

Image source, Getty Images

Kent see off the final over of the afternoon session from Anuj Dal and go into tea with just one wicket down.

Joe Denly was the man to go, caught at slip off Wayne Madsen, but Derbyshire's bowlers aren't finding a lot in this pitch and Ben Compton is 30 not out, with Daniel Bell-Drummond on 17.

Derbyshire declared with their highest total in a game against Kent, with Claeb Jewell scoring a career-best 232.

First job done by the Essex openers, they have cleared the deficit without being separated.

Paul Walter takes a single off Jordan Clark to put them in front but Dean Elgar keeps the strike for the next over with a fortuitous inside edge to square leg as he tries to cover drive Jordan Clark.

Frank Watson
BBC Hereford & Worcester

Good response from Jacob Duffy. Bit loose from Davies who again is dragging himself from the crease with a rueful look at the pitch.

It was basically a loose shot from Davies who was looking to try and get on with it.

Dean Elgar plays to mid-wicket for a single, Sam Curran jars his left elbow in making the save. He gives it a serious rub and Surrey will hope it won't impede his bowling when he is recalled to the attack.

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex

A third century of the season for skipper John Simpson has put Sussex in a strong position at tea.

Yet again Simpson held the Sussex innings together and with Fynn Hudson-Prentice added 173 for the sixth wicket, by a distance the highest partnership of the match.

However, a clatter of wickets just before tea saw Sussex lose their last four wickets for just one run, with Liam Dawson starting to turn the occasional delivery.

Worcestershire need to give Warwickshire a taste of their own tonic in the visitors' second innings.

They may not have the likes of Chris Woakes and Chris Rushworth but they have an attack very capable of posing similar questions.

Jacob Duffy has just given Alex Davies the hurry up in the opening over - getting a quick one to shape in late and strike the left hander pretty much in front.

They appeal is aborted as there was a bit of bat in that.

Just one off the over.

The Bears lead was 46.

Ouch - Dean Elgar inside edges down onto his foot and that stung a bit. Tom Lawes is fractionally short with the next one and the South African pulls it to square leg for four as he and Paul Walter post a 50 partnership.

So far, so good for Essex.