It's grey, wet and windy at Hove.

Apart from that it is tickety-boo.

More news as and when we get it.

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Reigning champions Surrey took a firm grip on this match on day two, and will be hoping to avoid weather delays to give themselves the best chance of pulling off a victory which would give their hopes of a fourth-straight title an almighty boost ahead of next week's clash with second-placed Notts.

After Rory Burns (54) and Dom Sibley (64*) gave the hosts a perfect platform, Ollie Pope (56*) joined SIbley to up the scoring rate and take the lead up to 179 with nine wickets in hand going into day three.

Surrey paceman Tom Lawes (pictured), who took 4-42 as Warwickshire edged a two-run lead on first innings, said: “After day one, which was quite equal, we are very happy to put ourselves into a dominant position and one from which we can look to go on and win the game.

“Rory Burns and Dom Sibley are as reliable as they come as an opening partnership and then Ollie Pope came in to do what he did and put us into a strong position. We need a few more runs on the board yet but then hopefully we can put them under pressure later in the game.”

Notts will be desperately hoping the grim forecast in Worcester is wrong so they can wrap up the Pears innings and chase down a small target.

Showers are expected for most of the day, though a window of play before lunch may be feasible.

A draw here, with Surrey going well against Warwickshire, could be a major blow to their prospects of eclipsing the south London team at the top of the table.

For Worcestershire, any realistic chance of escaping relegation will be dashed with a draw or a loss here, thought it remains mathematically possible with big wins and helpful results elsewhere in the final two rounds.

The hosts lead by just 68. Gareth Roderick holds the key to the fortunes of both teams. He battled through to 14 not out off 45 balls and also scored a vital half century in the first innings and will be joined by Ethan Brookes, also on 14.

Notts will look to the pace of Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington, who already have 10 wickets between them in this game.

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Tuesday was a fine day for Essex, who have picked up two batting points after sealing maximum bowling points to extend their lead over second-bottom Durham to 14 points in the live table.

A superb unbeaten 140* from Dean Elgar and 97* from Matt Critchley in an unbroken stand north of 150 (pictured) have steered the hosts within 21 runs of parity, but with seven wickets in hand.

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell “Some days you have to say well batted to the other team. There will be a battle going on (on Wednesday), that’s for sure. We’re going to have to fight for every run. We've got to come out trucking with a great attitude and try and bowl Essex out.

"We know it’s a massive game. We’ve got a massive three games. We’re playing three teams around us and we want to win every game. It’s all up for grabs. These two days are going to have a big bearing on the rest of our year.”

Today's poor weather forecast is likely to be of more comfort to Essex than Durham, however.

If the weather permits, Sussex will need to make the highest score of the match in order to pick up their fourth win and maintain their position above the relegation zone.

The loser of this game will take only three points into the next round and will move from mid-table closer to the drop zone.

But Sussex will need to reach the target on a pitch where the ball has often held in the surface, deviated sharply off the seam and turned.

We saw a bit less of that in the 13 overs of play that were possible in this chase before stumps, but run scoring remains tough and the rate stays stubbornly below three runs per over.

On top of that the forecast is patchy and the pitch is already fully covered after a wet morning.

Tom Haines will resume on 13 not out off 36 balls with night watcher Sean Hunt on six, surviving 21 balls after the wicket of Dan Hughes.

Sussex left-arm spinner James Coles took a valuable 4-47 in Hampshire's second innings to help restrict the team to 173 and he believes the wicket has something in it for everyone.

He said: “I think it’s a good cricket wicket. I think first day it did a lot. I think we maybe let them get a few more than maybe needed and then obviously didn’t go as well as planned with the bat.

“There’s definitely spin there, 100% as shown with the ball to Presty.”

On the Sussex chase, he added: “I think they played really nicely (Haines and Hunt). I guess we’ll see how it goes in the morning - 10.30 starts aren’t nice. We’ll see what happens.”

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Somerset batter Tom Abell was delighted to put a lean spell behind him with a superb 130 on day two against Yorkshire at Taunton.

Abell was below his best for Welsh Fire in The Hundred, but made 51 in the T20 Blast before the Championship resumed on Monday.

“It was pretty attritional in the morning session against a disciplined bowling attack. There was not much turn, but with a good total on the board we have to hope that we can apply some scoreboard pressure," he said.

“My form has been absolutely awful up to the last couple of games. I was short of runs earlier in the summer, but now I feel I have found a rhythm and greater clarity to my batting, which means I can fulfil my role in the middle order."

Kent will take a bit of momentum into day three, with their youngest ever opening pair, 19-year-old Jaydn Denly and Ben Dawkins, 18, guiding them to a 105-run lead at Canterbury with 10 wickets in hand.

After being bowled out for 293, they dismissed the Red Rose for 284, having been 114-2.

Denly (55*) and Dawkins (35*) will resume this morning looking to build a platform for just the basement-boys' third win of the season to close the gap on Northants and Lancs above them in the Division Two standings.

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Leicestershire batter Lewis Hill are taking nothing for granted as they look to secure promotion to Division One for next season.

They needed a maximum of 21 points to be certain of going up, but events at Lord's mean that number is down to 17.

Hill made 88 on day two after Gloucestershire were finally all out for 482 and said: "There are a few little cracks on the pitch and the odd one kept a bit low, but you sort of expect that. I was pleased with the way I played, I've had a reasonably solid season with the bat, and the only disappointment was not getting another hundred.

"We know we still have hard work to do here and in the two games that follow. We're trying to concentrate on the 'now', and not think about what may be happening elsewhere."

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"It feels like I can't do much wrong at the moment" was the verdict of Glamorgan's Asa Tribe after scoring 206 on day two against Northants at Wantage Road.

It followed scores of 53*, 175, 131*, 122* and 71 in the 21-year-old from Jersey's five previous innings in all formats - and has led to him being picked up by Paarl Royals in the player auction for this winter's T20 competition in South Africa.

"I need to focus on my game and keep putting performances in for Glamorgan, it’s good to be in the position I’m currently in and I’m really enjoying it," he said.

The Welsh county began the game second in Division Two, 24 points clear of Derbyshire in third place, but will need to avoid rain if they are to force a win over Northants, who will resume 158 behind.

In the words of Sir Frederick of Mercury, we may have to "leave it in the lap of the gods" today.

In the words of BBC Weather's X feed: "A cloudier day today with more of us seeing at least some rain at various points through the day."

To be honest, that's not a great lyric, and may go some way to explaining why BBC Weather staff aren't as wealthy as past and present members of Queen.

Anyway, let's keep fingers crossed that if there are any rain hold-ups in some or all of our nine games, they are brief.

Division One

Essex 312-3 v Durham 333

Essex trail by 21 runs with 7 wickets standing

Somerset 391-6 v Yorkshire

Surrey 246 & 181-1 v Warwickshire 248

Surrey lead by 179 with 9 wickets standing

Sussex 122 & 37-1 v Hampshire 226 & 173

Sussex need another 241 with 9 wickets standing

Worcestershire 182 & 93-5 v Nottinghamshire 207

Worcestershire lead by 68 with 5 wickets standing

Division Two

Kent 293 & 96-0 v Lancashire 284

Kent lead by 105 with 10 wickets standing

Leicestershire 270-4 v Gloucestershire 482

Leicestershire trail by 212 with 6 wickets standing

Middlesex 298 v Derbyshire 283 & 17-0

Derbyshire lead by two runs with 10 wickets standing

Northamptonshire 309-5 v Glamorgan 467

Northants trail by 158 with 5 wickets standing

Image source, Rex Features

Only 10 days left in the 2025 County Championship - the countdown clock is ticking.

Despite neither having earned any batting points, title rivals Surrey and Notts both have a good chance of forcing victories - weather permitting - to tee up next week's probable title decider at The Oval.

If Notts do win against Worcestershire, that may just about seal The Pears' relegation fate. Meanwhile, in Division Two, it looks like Leicestershire may have to wait a few more days to secure promotion.

Welcome to our coverage of day three. Play is due to begin at 10:30.