Image source, Getty Images

A frustrating day, if we're honest...

Every one of our nine fixtures across two divisions has been impacted by rain, and poor light, at some stage - they never even got going at Hove.

Nottinghamshire's hope of chasing down 136 to win at Worcester and tee-up a humdinger of a potential title-decider against Surrey next week have been hampered by the conditions.

They will try to find the 96 runs they need tomorrow, while Sussex require 241 for a win over Hampshire.

Leaders Surrey have a decision to make if they are to push for victory against Warwickshire, leading by 274 at present, while Essex will need to do a lot to force a result against Durham, 124 ahead with two wickets standing.

Leicestershire's hopes of sealing Division Two promotion with a win look remote as they trail by 150 and need 10 wickets, but it looks unlikely closest rivals Glamorgan, Derbyshire and Middlesex will be able to pull off a victory either, with Saif Zaib's fine century for Northants holding up Glamorgan's push for victory.

Rock-bottom Kent do have an outside chance at home to Lancashire, weather permitting, of course.

Thanks for your company, and your patience on such a stop-start day.

We'll be back in the morning, hoping for better fortunes with the weather. See you at 10:00am.

Division One

Essex 457-8 v Durham 333

Essex lead by 124 with 2 wickets standing

Somerset 441-6 dec v Yorkshire 17-0

Yorkshire trail by 424 with 10 wickets standing

Surrey 246 & 276-2 v Warwickshire 248

Surrey lead by 274 with 8 wickets standing

Sussex 122 & 37-1 v Hampshire 226 & 173 - no play on day three

Sussex need 241 to win with 9 wickets standing

Worcestershire 182 & 40-1 v Nottinghamshire 207

Notts need another 96 to win with 9 wickets standing

Division Two

Kent 293 & 206-5 v Lancashire 284

Kent lead by 215 with 5 wickets standing

Leicestershire 342 v Gloucestershire 482 & 10-0

Gloucestershire lead by 150 with 10 wickets standing

Middlesex 298 v Derbyshire 283 & 33-1

Derbyshire lead by 18 runs with 9 wickets standing

Northamptonshire 413-9 v Glamorgan 467

Northants trail by 54 runs with 1 wicket standing

Technically the last game standing, though we have already been off for a good half hour.

We will get back to this chase tomorrow.

Unfortunately, that blow to Joe Phillips' ribs persuades the umpires that they need to check the light.

The meter is placed on top of the bails and they don't like what it shows - the players are going off again and that is it for the day.

Shan Masood made 111 earlier in the day before a dramatic collapse saw the Division Two leaders flirt with having to follow on.

Gloucestershire lead by 150 heading into the final day.

That's not what you want just a few overs before the close.

Logan van Beek obtains unexpected extra lift from the pitch and the ball strikes Joe Phillips a painful blow in the ribs.

He's ok to carry on, though.

Richard Rae
BBC Radio Leicester Sport

It's not in Leicestershire's interests really to play much cricket however long they're going to take and tomorrow.

The overall situation is that if the game at Lord's - as now looks very likely - ends in a draw, then all Leicestershire need to do is to draw this game and they will be promoted.

But it is far from certain.

Josh Hull was banned from bowling in Gloucestershire's first innings after sending down two deliveries which were deemed dangerous.

He's ok to do so now, and gets through his first over with just a couple of singles conceded.

Done for the day.

Kent's lead is 215 and Ekansh Singh will resume in the morning on 30* with Mo Rizvi yet to score from five balls.

Interesting final day in store if Kent can pile on some runs with their remaining wickets and have a crack at the Red Rose in the afternoon.

Weather permitting, of course.

And so, we are going to have a bit of early evening cricket at Grace Road following a lengthy bad weather interruption.

Gloucestershire lead by 148 and openers Joe Phillips and Ben Charlesworth are the not out batters.

Oh deary me...

The ground staff will have got their 10,000 steps in today, and then some...

Another deluge in SE11 has put the mockers on any hopes of play today.

Surrey have added 59 to their overnight lead in the intermittent action, though also lost Ollie Pope for a swashbuckling 78 this morning.

Interesting decision for the title-chasers, given second-placed Notts looking to wrap up victory at Worcester.

Would they consider declaring with a lead of 274 to try and force a final day win against Warwickshire? With the class batters in the Bears side? Hmm. Something to ponder, for us, and Rory Burns.

Still gloomy at Worcester and it is also raining.

Notts need another 96. A single session of play might be enough tomorrow.

The forecast is a bit patchy tomorrow but certainly better than the juggernaut of heavy cloud rolling over New Road currently.

Plenty for Notts (and their Championship rivals Surrey) to ponder overnight.

Could be a very tight race between the two going into the final couple of rounds.

Dave Bracegirdle
BBC Radio Nottingham commentator

Nottinghamshire certainly will not want to spend tomorrow watching it rain all day and have lots of regrets to take into next week's match.

From this position they'll back themselves to win provided there's enough cricket.

Worcestershire still have plenty of hope if they can break this partnership as and when they get back out there. They'll be hoping they'll run into their old team mates, Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes and work their way through the middle order and still give themselves a sniff.

The covers are slowly coming off under leaden skies over Kennington, with around 10 minutes until the umpire's inspection.

The weather radar gives hope of the possibility of a dry hour or so at the end of the day.

It would be a pleasant surprise, given the chaotic nature of the day thus far.

In case you have lost count, play has finished for the day at five grounds - not that there was any at all at Hove.

The games at The Oval, Worcester, Canterbury and Leicester are ongoing, although the teams are not on the field at the moment.

A restart is due at Leicester at 5.30pm, with 11 overs to be bowled.

Jim Dale
BBC Hereford and Worcester

Given the cloud cover that we've got and the forecast is that it'll be a wet old evening, that is likely to be it for the day but we will be hanging around for a little bit longer to find out.

I've been really impressed with Freddie McCann and Ben Slater. Nottinghamshire are in a really good position as they try and keep on the coat-tails of Surrey at the top of the County Championship.

They've negotiated a couple of difficult little sessions in bad conditions really quite admirably. They've been watchful when they've had to, and whether it's been over pitched or a little bit too straight, they've put it away.

Ekansh Singh pulls Tom Hartley's second ball away to the rope through mid-wicket to move to 30* but one ball later they are coming off, for bad light officially, even though it's still raining.

Kent's lead is 215 but I don't think they'll be adding to that today.

The covers are coming on. 16.3 overs remain in theory, but that will surely be that...

Image source, Rex Features

Bad news, but not unexpected.

Essex had the better of it, with Dean Elgar (150) and Matt Critchley (129) helping them to three batting bonus points, which have taken their advantage over second-bottom Durham up to 14 points in the baseement battle, however the weather has dealt a real blow to chances of either side forcing a result.

We'll try again in the morning.

What a day for the ground staff. They have been on and off multiple times this afternoon.

The skies are noticeably darker than they were at the time of the latest exodus.

We will keep you informed.

Ekansh Singh picks up a couple off Mitch Stanley and then flashes a drive which picks up a single to bring Mo Rizvi onto strike for three balls.

He only needs one to get off strike with a leg bye.

Kent lead by 210.

Another light reading.

No more pace bowlers. Tom Hartley is coming on for a spell.

We are off again. Notts advance to 40 in that little stint of play still with nine in hand.

Still a full day left tomorrow weather permitting.

We cannot completely rule out a resumption tonight. Yet.