Image source, Rex Features

Now we love county cricket in the depths of April and September, but it's the height of summer, the sun is out and the grounds around the country look a picture.

It's definitely an ice cream day, but is it wrong to have one before lunch?

Beth Harvey on BBC Radio Essex has just revealed she paid £3.50 yesterday for a small cone and flake. Yes, ice creams really are that expensive!

Another bowling change at Trent Bridge, where Dillon Pennington is coming on in place of Olly Stone.

James Rew is forward to defend with bat close to pad.

The fourth ball is back of a length from round the wicket and pushed gently into the off side.

Rew gets away with a single glanced to leg off a leg side ball.

Slow going for Somerset amidst testing bowling and 400 feels a long way off at present.

It looks like Chris Woakes is just starting to find a bit of rhythm here.

He's just starting to find the right wrist position and the right angles. He's making the ball deviate off the straight.

Felix Organ has a life, going forward to Ed Barnard to block and edging wide of a diving lone slip to third man for four.

Nick Gubbins gets a single off the latest Chris Woakes over and Organ leaves a leg cutter outside off to see it out.

Batting has been tough going for Hampshire this morning, who are biding their time.

Image source, Rex Features

A second first-class century for Paul Walter from just 146 balls and how Essex now need him to make it what Essex legend Graham Gooch would call a ‘daddy hundred’. In other words he needs to stay there for a lot longer to help his side out of a hole.

He is such a good all-round cricketer, best evidenced by his contributions in all formats and the fact he plays in the Hundred and is well established in the BBL.

Leg spinner Calvin Harrison comes in in place of Dane Paterson and starts his spell with a maiden over, earning a smattering of applause from the home crowd.

Tom Abell is solidly forward to defend against Olly Stone at the other end.

He's half forward, playing and missing the fourth ball by a whisker.

The last ball of the over is a tad full and wide of off, allowing Abell to drive through the off side via a thick edge to third man for one.

Just four runs added by Abell this morning, having been really tested by Stone's pace.

All going to plan for Sussex at the moment at Hove where they have moved on to 107-2 against Leicestershire - a lead of 274 - with Tom Haines 43 not out and nightwatcher Sean Hunt on 26.

Yorkshire are looking to polish off Gloucestershire's first innings at Scarborough, but only have one wicket this morning. Ed Middleton is 18 not out and the visitors are 191-8 - 265 behind.

Ed Barnard replaces Oliver Hannon-Dalby in the attack and bowls largely wicket to wicket, conceding only three singles.

Chris Woakes is bowling wide of the off peg, shaping the ball in a little to the left-handed Nick Gubbins, who then works a straighter ball to mid wicket for no run.

Maiden over.

Dan Lawrence has done rather well against Worcestershire this season.

Two eighties at the Oval in the previous game and a really significant impact on this game, both with bat and ball.

Image source, Rex Features

Paul Walter clubs Callum Parkinson through the legside for four to move to 99.

And he doesn't hang about as two balls later he turns one to leg and gets the single he needs to reach three figures.

This has come off 146 balls with 11 fours and a six.

It is only a second ton for the big man and his first since his 141 v Yorkshire in May 2022.

An expensive over from Raphy Weatherall at Sophia Gardens as Mason Crane collects four fours.

A flick through backward square, a big edge past the slips, and a pull shot supply the first three.

Crane throws the bat at the next delivery and is dropped at second slip by Prithvi Shaw - a touch one above head height and the balls again runs away to the rope.

Tom Abell shapes to turn Olly Stone into leg and gets a leading edge but the ball lands safely.

He gets a single second ball, glanced behind square leg.

James Rew rides the bounce and gets half forward, pushing Stone defensively into the off side.

One more run to Rew, fetching a back of a length ball from outside off into mid wicket.

Steady start for Somerset in the first half hour.

Dan Lawrence gives Jake Libby too much width and the Worcestershire opener square cuts for four.

He is 71 not out and in with a very good chance here of carrying his bat right through the innings.

He was the last to do it for the county, when he made 180 not out against Essex at Chelmsford in 2021.

Hampshire take the second innings score to three figures in the 40th over with a lovely flowing off drive on the front foot by Nick Gubbins off the bowling of Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

At the other end, Chris Woakes drifts a ball into the leg stump and Felix Organ taps it away behind square leg for four.

That's the longer boundary but the shot was so sweetly timed that the ball raced away.

Today is a pivotal day in this game, more so for Essex who are trying to avoid the follow-on after a bit of a comeback later in the day yesterday.

It's certainly a day Essex are hoping for batters and Durham are hoping it's a day they can work their way through.

The interesting thing I guess will come in the game whether Durham enforce the follow-on if Essex don't get to that follow-on target.

There's quite a lot of things to consider - time left in the game, bowlers fatigued and bowlers bowling in hot weather.

Tidy enough from Dane Paterson but there's enough width for James Rew to leave the ball outside off.

Rew plays the fifth ball though, which drifts into the pads and is glanced to fine leg for four.

Olly Stone is really firing the ball in at the other end.

Tom Abell ducks under a bouncer which pings off the back of the crash helmet for four leg byes. Ouch.

Fortunately, he's fine to continue.

The Somerset 300 and second batting point comes in the 89th over.