BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson at The Oval:

"It looked like Surrey were going to get through the afternoon session without losing a wicket as Steven Davies and Arun Harinath nudged the hosts towards tea with a partnership of 135 for the third wicket.

"But Chris Rushworth then broke the partnership and removed both in the space of two overs. Davies was on 87 when he edged to the gully while trying to play through the leg side and Harinath then had a lapse of concentration and popped a dolly to Mark Stoneman at mid off, agonisingly on 96.

"The wicket has not offered too much to the bowlers so far and looks a good batting track. "

Division One:

Hampshire 219-3 v Middlesex

Nottinghamshire 238-8 v Yorkshire

Surrey 242-4 v Durham

Lancashire 171-3 v Somerset

Division Two:

Glamorgan 260-8 v Kent

Derbyshire 213-7 v Northamptonshire

Sussex 163 v Leicestershire 

Essex 105-1 v Worcestershire - inspection at 4.15

BBC Radio Derby's Dave Fletcher:

"A strange afternoon at Wantage Road saw five wickets fall quickly before a half-century partnership for the eighth wicket by Derbyshire.

"Rory Kleinveldt struck three times in nine deliveries as Derbyshire slipped from 111-2 to 133-5, and Mohammad Azharullah claimed two wickets as Northamptonshire took a grip on the game.

"But the visitors fought back as Shiv Thakor and Tony Palladino put on 52 before rain in the air sent them in for an early tea."

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Somerset's Anthony Gibson at Taunton:

"A score of 171-3 in 66 overs on a grey, chilly day on a flat pitch - definitely cricket for the connoisseur.

"Lancashire's batsmen have ground out the runs, while Somerset's bowlers have plugged away manfully to take two wickets - Brown and Procter - in the afternoon session. Absorbing? Certainly.  Nerve-tingling? Hmm."

BBC Sussex's Adrian Harms at Hove:

"Having won the toss on a good batting surface  Sussex have subsided from 96-2 to 163 all out.

"Leicestershire have bowled with great discipline, but Sussex have contributed to their own demise with a woeful batting performance, losing eight wickets in the afternoon session."

MICHAEL CARBERRY HITS CENTURYpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 1 May 2016

15:38 BST 1 May 2016

Hampshire 206-3 v Middlesex

Image source, Rex Features

Is it too late for the selectors to consider a Test comeback for Michael Carberry? Tweet us at #bbccricket to let me know what you think. The left-hander, who passed fifty 10 times last summer without going on to three figures, remembers how to do it as he hits Paul Stirling for four. The century has taken him 184 balls and it has included 14 boundaries.

BBC Hereford & Worcester's Dave Bradley:

"It's cold and wet at New Road where the umpires took the players off just before 12.30 and went for an early lunch.

"They have now decreed an early tea, and prospects of any further play today are beginning to disappear. It’s not just the rain but it is now very cold.

Essex had a fine morning session with Tom Westley, in particular, looking on top form. He was on 48 and Alastair Cook on 36.

"Is it a coincidence that there has not been a full day’s cricket at New Road since the legendary Dean’s Ice Creams have not been in attendance?"

BBC Radio Manchester's Scott Read at Taunton:

"Nineteen successive overs from Jack Leach - broken only by lunch - come to an end and his replacement Roelof van set Merwe is proving just as tricky to face. He's got a couple to bounce and turn sharply already. Some determined bowling means the game is pretty even heading towards tea." 

Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid played three Tests against Pakistan last October/November, taking eight wickets - but at a cost of 69.5 runs each. With tours to the sub-continent coming up this winter, there could be a case for giving him more Test experience as soon as possible. 

If Moeen Ali was moved up to five following James Taylor's retirement, there would be room for another spinner at number eight in the line-up. But is Rashid the best option for England? What about Zafar Ansari, who missed out last winter because of injury?

Let us know what you think about England's spin bowling options.

Sussex lose three wickets in a single over as Ollie Robinson and Ben Brown are caught behind off Wayne White, either side of Mark Pettini running out Ajmal Shahzad for a duck. White now has figures of 3-22. With only the tail left, it is hard to see the home side even scraping one batting bonus point.

BBC Sussex's Adrian Harms at Hove: 

"Sussex are in real trouble on a good pitch, having won the toss. It has been a combination of excellent Leicestershire bowling, some poor Sussex batting, and a catastrophic run out.

"The home side have opted this season for just six specialist batsman and currently they may well be rueing that policy."

BBC Radio Wales Sport's Nick Webb at Canterbury:

"Kent's fielders haven't managed to match their bowlers at Canterbury with three dropped catches allowing Graham Wagg and Craig Meschede to put together a half-century stand.

"Earlier, Matt Coles limped out of the attack after taking his third wicket, while teenage paceman Hugh Bernard claimed a maiden victim, having Aneurin Donald caught on the boundary for 37."

Don't forget that you can listen to ball-by-ball BBC commentary on whichever Championship match takes your fancy, by clicking on the Live Coverage tab at the top of the page and making your choice...

Just a quick reminder that although we have play in seven of our eight County Championship matches, there has been no action in the Worcestershire v Essex game since just before lunch because of rain... 

Image source, Rex Features