A long way to go on day three at Scarborough as they try to make up time for the overs lost yesterday - and the usual poor over rates. 36 overs still to bowl.

Ryan Patel is 20 and Will Jacks 5 as the defending champions try to battle back at North Marine Road.

Image source, Rex Features

Derbyshire have now lost three wickets for 17 runs in their second innings - all to Rehan Ahmed.

He has nine wickets and a century in the match so far.

If the Leicestershire media team are preparing their post for the man-of-the-match poll it only needs one name on it guys.

Rain stops playpublished at 16:35 British Summer Time 24 July

16:35 BST 24 July

Middlesex 625-8 dec v Northants 261

Middlesex have enforced the follow-on but will have to wait for their next crack at the Northants batters as the rain has returned.

Mike Taylor
BBC WM commentator

The old firm from the first innings – Ethan Brookes and Adam Finch – reunited to settle Worcestershire in the second part of the afternoon session, after their second innings had lurched badly either side of lunch.

Using the same method as yesterday morning – Finch blocking, while Brookes backed himself to hit over the short boundary – and have so far followed up their 88-run partnership in the first innings with another 59.

Three overs before tea, Brookes lifted Ed Barnard into the Hollies Stand for his 12th and 13th sixes of the match, breaking a record with each – first taking Graeme Hick’s Worcestershire record, and then setting a new mark for all cricket on this ground, beating the achievements of Ian Botham and Dean Jones.

That’s good company to be keeping. Brookes has been the only player in this match to score reliably at speed.

Several of his team-mates perished in their attempts to increase the pace, including Adam Hose, who had hit the ball sweetly before lunch but was bowled charging Ethan Bamber shortly afterwards.

Corey Rocchiccioli’s legside strategy picked off Brett D’Oliveira and Ben Allison, while more worryingly for the Bears Tom Taylor was dismissed by a Bamber delivery that kicked from a good length.

For a moment it seemed a chase of about 300 might be on, but Brookes and Finch have now ensured that the Bears’ task will be appreciably harder than that.

50 up for Derbyshirepublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 24 July

16:29 BST 24 July

Derbys 50-2 v Leics (target 446)

Derbyshire skipper Wayne Madsen is in with Caleb Jewell on the resumption.

Up comes the home side's 50 - just the 396 runs to go lads.

Mike Taylor
BBC WM commentator

It has been a strange day so far, but it is not over, in fact it is 41 overs from being over. We shall see how many of those we mange to get in after tea.

The sun is threatening to come out, so hopefully by the time we have brewed up it will be out.

The crowd applaud the players, especially Ethan Brookes who has had a great match.

Noah Cornwell didn't fancy hanging around after tea - the Middlesex bowler has just taken two wickets in two balls to bring the Northants first innings to close.

Saif Zaib was unable to add to his 82 made before the interval and then Yuzvendra Chahal was bowled first ball.

I say it's dark at Hove but James Coles is seeing the ball well as he batters Khaleel Ahmed's first two deliveries for four and moves to 83 not out.

Worcestershire stumbled very badly earlier, from 80-0 to 150-8 but Ethan Brookes unbeaten 60 has pushed the lead out to 358.

Image source, Adrian Harms

Right, the players are back out but it's very murky at Hove.

The floodlights are just cranking into action.

BBC Local Radio

We have all bases covered for you on day three of this round of County Championship matches.

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It’s the old Ashes battle part two at Cheltenham with James Anderson bowling to Cameron Bancroft as Gloucestershire follow on.

Jimmy got his man lbw yesterday.

Tom Hartley is sharing the new ball after his first-innings six-for and you’d think spin will again present the biggest challenge as the Glosters try to save the game.

Division One

• Utilita Bowl: Hampshire 274-5 v Nottinghamshire 578-8 dec

• Hove: Sussex 204 & 203-3 v Essex 504
• Edgbaston: Warwickshire 184 v Worcestershire 333 & 209-8
• Scarborough: Yorkshire 517-6 dec v Surrey 162-2

Division Two

• Derby: Derbyshire 189 & 45-2 v Leicestershire 398 & 236-9 dec
• Cardiff: Glamorgan 327 v Kent 155 & 292-5
• Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 381 & 5-0 v Lancashire 557
• Northwood: Middlesex 625-8 dec v Northamptonshire 261-9

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex

A good session for Sussex reducing the arrears to less than 100 for the loss of Tom Alsop for 72.

Alsop had shared a partnership of 141 with James Coles before he was lbw to the leg spin of Matt Critchley.

So far the forecast rain has not arrived, but with the clouds gathering Essex will be keen to rattle through the next 21 overs when a new ball would be available.

Worcestershire now entering very safe territory thanks to Ethan Brookes.

He’s continued to counterattack against his old county and struck five sixes so far.

The lead is now 358.

Both openers gone for Surrey but a strong reply so far.

Image source, rex

Rehan Ahmed made the crucial breakthrough just before the interval for Leicestershire by removing David Lloyd and followed that by dismissing Harry Came with the final ball before tea.

It feels like when the visitors will win rather than if.