Image source, Rex Features

Another largely glorious autumn day has afforded us some fascinating action with many of our games delicately poised... let's just hope that cricket and not the weather is the determining factor over the final two days.

Essex have taken control of the Division One basement battle with 38-year-old Dean Elgar amassing 140* - his 53rd first class century - and sharing an unbroken fourth wicket stand worth more than 150 with Matt Critchley, who goes to bed tonight unbeaten on 97* as Essex seek bonus points to swell their current 14-point advantage over second-bottom visitors Durham.

Leaders Surrey's top three have all passed 50 as they build a healthy lead over Warwickshire while closest challengers Notts are hoping the weather doesn't hamper their chances of completing a comprehensive win at basement-boys Worcestershire, who lead by 68 with five second innings remaining.

Somerset have piled on the runs but it's been a rain-affected match with Yorkshire while Sussex have the chance of a win inside three days after 31 wickets fell on the opening two days at Hove.

Leicestershire's quest for the Division Two title has been held up by a Gloucestershire run-spree while second-placed Glamorgan were inspired to 467 by Asa Tribe's maiden double century and are seeking to press home their advantage at Northants and Derbyshire were limited to a single batting point at Middlesex, for whom their former skipper Leus du Plooy scored a century, while Kent enjoyed the better of day two against Lancashire in the other second tier clash.

We'll be back at 10am, whatever the weather, to bring you all the thrills and spills of day three.

Thanks for your company today, enjoy your evening!

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

Northants pass 300 in the 66th over but they remain a long way adrift - and now Justin Broad has been dislodged two overs later.

Mason Crane picks up his fourth victim with a classic leg spinner dismissal, drifting in, turning away on a length with an edge through to the keeper.

That wicket leads to stumps at Wantage Road for Day Two one ball into the 68th over.

Saif Zaib survives on 76 not out, made off 105 balls.

158 behind.

The umpires call time on this contest with the Pears leading by a slender 68.

A good fight back to restrict Notts to a lead of just 25 after looking reasonably comfortable on 119-3 - with Tom Taylor taking 4-70.

But Josh Tongue bowled with real fire and purpose in the second innings, taking out the top three inside 18 overs, while Lyndon James removed Dan Lategan and Brett D'Oliveira.

Worcestershire's hopes rest on Gareth Roderick, who played a vital hand in the first innings, scoring 61.

He has 14 runs to his name in this knock with Ethan Brookes also unbeaten on 14.

Five fielders around the bat for left arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and Sean Hunt blocks out a maiden over, seeing it out with a back foot block off a shorter delivery.

The final over of Day Two will be bowled by Eddie Jack. Two slips in.

Tom Haines is forward to defend. A full ball is punched out to point for no run.

A play and a miss as Haines misses with a loose drive. So close to the inside edge!

Captain and keeper Ben Brown takes the ball behind the stumps.

Haines clips square to point for one.

Sean Hunt ducks under a bouncer and is struck on the pad by the last ball. A bit high and perhaps a bit leg side. Phew.

Sussex go into Day Three with nine wickets in hand and the need another 241.

Hampshire rallied from 2-2 earlier today to set a target of 278, thanks in the main to James Fuller.

He scored 49 before bizarrely being given out LBW off Jack Carson, reprieved after the umpire ruled dead ball (as the bowler hit the bails at the non-striker's end) and then out next ball, caught on the leg side by Tom Alsop.

The pitch seems to be behaving better in this innings after being a little two-paced earlier today with some turn for the spinners.

Sussex are still in the contest but remain a long way back.

Derbyshire avoid any damage in nine overs to the close and they will be happy enough to have achieved parity after two days of play.

They restricted Middlesex to a 15-run lead despite an innings of 105 by their former player, Leus du Plooy, an innings including nine fours.

Ben Aitchison and Zak Chappell each took three wickets and Caleb Jewell and Luis Reece did what was necessary in the final mini-session, which ends with them two runs in front.

A good day for Kent, which is something which hasn't been said too often this summer.

After being bowled out for 293 last night, they hauled back the momentum after Luke Wells' 80 gave the visitors a solid platform at 114-2, dismissing the Red Rose for 284 with four wickets apiece for Matt Quinn and Matt Parkinson against his old club.

Tom Hartley's swashbuckling 64 was the main reason Lancs even got close to a second batting point but they finished nine runs behind and teenagers Jaydn Denly (55*) and Ben Dawkins (35*) have taken that lead to 105 at night with all 10 wickets standing.

Fascinatingly-poised. Stay away Mother Nature.

Eddie Jack starts with a yorker and Tom Haines scrambles a leg bye.

Jack goes full again and Sean Hunt blocks into the leg side.

A loose leg side ball is helped away fine for four.

An outside edge is squeezed past slip for one.

Two overs left tonight.

for Jaydn Denlypublished at 18:02 BST 9 September

18:02 BST 9 September

Kent 293 & 93-0 v Lancashire 284

A second first class half-century for 19-year-old Jaydn Denly, both coming against Lancashire.

It's come from just 69 balls, brought up with his seventh four, off Luke Wells, to go with a six

Denly and England under-19s colleague Ben Dawkins have made an impressive start to Kent's second innings, with the hosts' lead now above 100.

Frank Watson
BBC Hereford & Worcester

I don't think that they'll come back on, that's my assessment of it. Obviously that remains to be seen.

If day one was a see-saw of momentum, day two has belonged to the champions.

After ousting Ed Barnard (50) this morning were held up slightly by the Warwickshire tail and Will Young (72) this morning but ensured maximum bowling points and allowed a first innings deficit of just two runs.

Rory Burns (54) and Dom Sibley (64*) gave the hosts a perfect platform before Ollie Pope (56*) joined SIbley to up the scoring rate and turn the screw on the weary Bears.

Surrey lead by 179 with nine wickets in hand going into day three and will just hope Mother Nature doesn't hamper their bid to collect a win which would go a long way towards their fourth straight Division One title.

Four overs left tonight.

Sean Hunt will presumably try to take most of the strike to preserve the Sussex batting for tomorrow.

Keith Barker goes round the wicket and bowls wde outside off.

Hunt leaves it alone.

Barker fires in a yorker which Hunt squeezes into the off side.

He goes back to length and there's enough width for Hunt to leave it.

Tom Haines will face Eddie Jack, who is 20 years old today, as acknowledged by the announcer.

Three overs left.

Understandably, survival is the name of the game for Derbyshire in these final overs of play on day two.

That's a wayward delivery by Ryan Higgins to Luis Reece which rolls down to the pavilion for four leg-side byes.

Melinda Farrell
Sports broadcaster/journalist on BBC Radio Sussex

We thought 13 wickets was a lot yesterday but 18 today...

Keith Barker adds to his tally and the wickets keep tumbling.

We are going to get in to day three but my word this game has moved quickly.

Dillon Pennington is back in the attack for Notts...

Or is he?

No. Bad light and the players are walking off.

That might be it for Day Two.

for Ollie Popepublished at 17:49 BST 9 September

17:49 BST 9 September

Surrey 246 & 178-1 v Warwickshire 148

Image source, Rex Features

Indeed it is back-to-back half-centuries for Ollie Pope, who clips a single to mid-wicket off Rob Yates to reach the milestone in 68 balls with four fours and a six.

Surrey's lead is inching towards 200 with nine wickets in hand with four overs remaining in the day.

Matt Critchley picks up a single off Sam Conners to bring up the 150-run stand with Dean Elgar to start the final over.

Dean Elgar moves to 139* from the third ball, bringing Critchley back to the crease on 95*.

A push into the covers takes him to 96 and Elgar clips a leg-side single giving Critchley the chance to face the final ball, four shy of a century...

Conners delivers, and Critchley pulls into mid-wicket for a single. He is 97* at stumps.

A fine day for Essex, who have picked up two batting points after sealing maximum bowling points in the first half-hour of the day.

They have swelled their advantage over second-bottom Durham to 14 points in the table, thanks largely to a superb unbeaten 140* from Elgar, his best of the season and 53rd first class century.

Image source, Rex Features

17 wickets have already fallen here today but this innings seems to have stemmed the flow somewhat.

Width from Kyle Abbott but Tom Haines overhits a drive and cannot clear the off side field this time.