I honestly didn't expect this, but the lunch interval was perfectly timed and the rain has cleared allowing a resumption on time.

Simon Harmer has 6* and Noah Thain 8* and Essex lead by 39.

Let's enjoy this while we have it, because the forecast for post-tea is shocking.

The early lunch has been and gone but no sign of an immediate resumption in the Garden of England.

The radar is showing another band of heavy rain sweeping in from the west too.

Frustration for the hosts, who lead by 140 with eight wickets standing.

No deluge over lunch at Grace Road, so play will resume on time.

Leicestershire will have to regroup following Shan Masood's departure for 111 to the final ball before lunch.

Ben Cox is Stevie Eskinazi's new partner. Matt Taylor will bowl the first over of the afternoon.

The covers are off and the umpires are on the edge of the square.

Not much longer, hopefully.

This stand is getting more than a little irritating for Notts.

Ben Allison edges Lyndon James to deep third for one more.

Gareth Roderick is forward to defend.

It continues to look pretty bleak in Cider country.

Grim skies overhead, the covers are on the outfield and Yorkshire must wait to being their first innings following Somerset's declaration.

Josh Tongue is back on in place of Dillon Pennington for another spell.

Ben Allison drives... edged! Wide of a diving second slip and four!

That might not have carried to Freddie McCann anyway.

A leg side ball is tapped away for two. That's the 150 in 58.5 overs.

Full and pushed down the ground for three. Very useful runs here.

129 ahead.

Jim Dale
BBC Hereford and Worcester

It felt like there was a little bit of a change of tactic with the bowlers before lunch. There was a period when they were putting the ball in that corridor of uncertainty and they were just trying to build a little bit of pressure.

That they managed to do, there was an element fortune with the wicket that then came their way. They've shown decent patience.

The sun is out, for a while, though the cover remain on for now.

There will be an inspection in just under half an hour to determine when play may resume.

For how long that is, remains to be seen.

The weather has improved here after a wet morning.

News of a pitch inspection will be announced ASAP.

Apparently.

Here we go. Worcester resume on 141-8.

Dillon Pennington will complete the over, bowling to new batter, Ben Allison.

Lyndon James resumes at the other end and has an LBW shout turned down against Gareth Roderick.

That ball looked to be seaming down the leg side.

A fuller ball is clipped through square leg for four.

120 ahead now.

Despite today's rain, it is all building up nicely towards next week's huge showdown between Surrey and Nottinghamshire at The Oval. We don't know what the points gap will be, but we want to hear from followers of both sides about how you are feeling ahead of what may be the title decider. Get in touch and let us know.

Elsewhere today, it is the penultimate round of fixtures in the women's One-Day Cup.

The Blaze secured their spot in the semi-finals yesterday by beating Durham - a result which also sealed Lancashire's qualification.

They are playing Warwickshire at Sale with the visitors - who are out of contention for the top four - 183-4 after 35 overs.

Surrey occupy the fourth and final qualifying spot and they have raced to 140-2 against bottom side Essex at Beckenham, with Emma Jones on 82 off 71 balls in the 25th over.

However, there has been no play so far in the match between leaders Hampshire and sixth-placed Somerset at Utilita Bowl.

It's not raining at New Road but we're not quite ready to resume either.

The square is still covered albeit not with the full set, so to speak.

We will let you know about this one ASAP.

Nick Gledhill
BBC Essex

A morning session of two halves saw Durham stage an impressive fight back.

After a delayed start Dean Elgar and Matt Critchley scored freely in the early stages to stretch their fourth wicket stand to 191. But as the cloud cover built up Matthew Potts started to find movement and he was troubling Elgar before having the opener caught behind for 150.

Then, in his next over, he had Critchley LBW, trapped in his crease, for 129. Both Elgar and Critchley struck a six and 17 fours in their contrasting but equally valuable innings.

Sam Conners soon removed Michael Pepper for four and when rain arrived at lunch Essex led by only 39.

If the weather allows there is still the prospect of a result.

The clouds are of the lighter variety and the lesser-spotted blue sky is visible over Wantage Road.

This looks promising.

I did fear as much.

The official lunch interval ends now, but the covers have come on and the heavens opened over SE11 in the past hour.

Looks like we'll be dodging showers throughout the afternoon if Surrey are to build on their 217-run advantage.

Image source, Getty Images

In case you missed the news yesterday, it has been confirmed that Somerset batter Sean Dickson will join Glamorgan for next season.

The 34-year-old will help fill the gap left by Sam Northeast, who is leaving south Wales to return to former club Kent.

"Sean is one of the most explosive middle-order T20 batters in the country and is a proven top-four option in four-day cricket," said Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace.

You can read the full story by clicking here.

Division One

Essex 372-6 v Durham 333

Somerset 441-6 dec v Yorkshire

Surrey 246 & 219-2 v Warwickshire 248

Sussex 122 & 37-1 v Hampshire 226 & 173 - no play before lunch

Worcestershire 182 & 141-8 v Nottinghamshire 207

Division Two

Kent 293 & 131-2 v Lancashire 284

Leicestershire 320-5 v Gloucestershire 482

Middlesex 298 v Derbyshire 283 & 30-1

Northamptonshire 309-5 v Glamorgan 467 - no play before lunch

With the rain continuing at Taunton, lunch will be taken and Somerset have declared.

Kasey Aldridge and Ben Green added 50 in 8.3 overs before the weather closed in at the County Ground.

Aldridge finishes with 42 not out and Green is unbeaten on 30.