Lewis Gregory throws the ball to umpire Martin Saggers at Old Trafford. It won't go through the shape tester so we are going to have a change, but they have to go and find the box of alternatives themselves at the boundary edge. Where were the groundstaff?

A quiet start to proceedings at the County Ground.

Toby Roland-Jones' first over of the day is a maiden - but David Lloyd finds the boundary off Ethan Bamber.

Derbyshire need another 103 to avoid an innings defeat.

Almost the breakthrough.

An inswinger from Lewis Gregory finds the inside edge, but Luke Wells is saved from playing on by his rear pad.

Wells is beaten outside off stump by the final ball of a maiden over.

Lancashire's lead is 296.

Full face of the bat as George Balderson drives Craig Overton handsomely through mid-off for the first runs of the day at Old Trafford - four of them. Nice start for him.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

"I presume the Lancashire strategy will be to bat for as long as possible."

Image source, Rex Features

Plenty at stake for both teams in this game - for very different reasons.

Luke Wells and George Balderson are the not out Lancashire batsmen on 78 and five respectively.

Balderson is on strike, facing Craig Overton.

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Durham all-rounder Bas de Leede backed their batters to make it difficult for title favourites Surrey on day three at The Oval.

They will resume 152 in arrears, having already lost nightwatchman Callum Parkinson in two overs before the close at the start of their second innings.

"It feels like a very good cricket wicket. When you put the ball in the right areas you can get reward for that but, with the bat, there are also runs out there if you get stuck in," said de Leede, who took 4-106.

Ryan Patel hit 134 earlier in the day for Surrey and told BBC Radio London: "For me it was nice to keep my form going and take advantage of feeling good and do well for the team."

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

"Somerset's task is relatively straightforward. They have to take these three wickets and then bat and bat and bat until they have reached their target. If they can't do that, it's going to be Surrey as county champions."

Image source, Getty Images

Somerset bowling coach Steve Kirby admitted they have a lot of work to do at Old Trafford after Lancashire moved into a 292-run lead on a frustrating second day for the title hopefuls.

Five penalty runs were added to the Lancashire total for 'fake fielding' by the visitors, who then saw George Balderson given not out when Craig Overton seemed to have run him out with a throw from slip.

"Everybody stuck to their task and Lancashire have gone at less than three an over in 96 overs," Kirby told BBC Radio Somerset.

"On another day, we’d have had the rub of the green but the way we’ve gone about our business all year has been incredible and there’s another big scrap ahead of us."

The equation remains stark for Kent this morning despite fighting hard to reach 85-0 last night: lose here and it is Division Two cricket next season.

The best efforts of their openers leaves them trailing Notts by 123 runs after following on, which at least gives Daniel Bell-Drummond’s outfit some hope to cling to.

But it is clear they will need more, much more, today if they are to wriggle free of relegation’s clutches.

“It has been a tough day overall I guess. Not the worst day because that last session was really crucial,” said Kent’s first innings top scorer Joey Evison.

“We want to try and win this game. That last session has kept us in it.”

Notts already have seven points in the bag here and will be confident of a victory which would deliver a huge stride towards top flight cricket next season.

But they will still be keeping one eye on Old Trafford where Lancashire tackle Somerset knowing victory for the hosts keeps the relegation picture interesting going into next week's finale.

Image source, Rex Features

Sussex will be looking for some early wickets this morning to close out a win over Gloucestershire and push them nearer promotion to Division One.

All-rounder Jack Carson top-scored for Sussex in their first innings and said there was excitement in the camp about their position.

“It is tantalising being so close to the finishing line and achieving our objective. We have been talking about it for two years and it is brilliant to be this close,” he told BBC Radio Sussex.

“A couple of quick wickets in the morning and we will be right on top. I would back our lads to chase whatever needs to be chased in the final innings, but we want it to be as few as possible.”

Gloucestershire left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar will remember this match fondly no matter the outcome as he claimed his 300th first-class wicket yesterday.

“I knew I was on around 290 going into the game, but wasn’t aware of the exact number until it was announced to the crowd after my sixth wicket,” he told BBC Radio Bristol.

“I am very happy and thankful about my achievements in first-class cricket. I am hoping to stay fit and take a lot more wickets in the future."

Image source, Rex Features

Northants batter James Sales said sorting out his mental approach to the game had been key to his development after scoring his second Championship century of the season.

The 21-year-old - who was watched by his dad, former Northants captain David Sales - made 135 to help put his side on course for a second successive victory.

"Obviously, when it’s going well for you, fans get behind you, when it’s not, it’s a completely different story, so you’ve just got to try and stay level-headed. That’s where I probably messed up a bit earlier in my career, getting like too big of an ego, thinking I should be playing when I probably shouldn’t be," he said.

“My parents both rocked up at lunch when I was on 90, they popped out and gave me a little thumbs up, so it’s always nice. I’m sure my dad enjoyed it, had a few beers to celebrate, I think."

"It promises to be another unusually warm September day in large parts of the UK," says BBC Weather's Ben Rich.

Good news for cricket fans - like us - then.