Burns (90) & Elgar (75) help Surrey to 256-4 at Essex
22 wickets fall on day one at Taunton
Somerset bowl out Lancashire for 99; Leach takes 5-28
Somerset recover from 97-8 to 192 all out; Gregory 64*
Lancs close on 7-2 in second innings - trail by 86
Slater century takes Notts to 331-7 against Yorkshire
Barnard takes 6-50 as Worcs bowl out Hants for 191
Pears close on 68-4
Worcestershire v Hampshire 7-0
While we're talking of relegation battles, it's worth keeping a close eye on events at New Road.
Bottom side Worcestershire host Hampshire in sixth, but just eight points ahead of the Pears.
Joe Weatherley and Oliver Soames are batting for the visitors - Soames is playing in just his third first-class match.
Notts 3-0 v Yorkshire
Like their Red Rose rivals, Yorkshire are still in serious danger of being relegated.
Adam Lyth is skippering the side today with David Willey out injured - I make that Yorkshire's fifth captain of the season.
Ben Slater and West Indian Kraigg Brathwaite are in the middle for Notts who are probably safe from the drop.
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Somerset v Lancashire 0-0
It's getting to the stage now where Somerset surely can't afford to slip up in their pursuit of a first ever County Championship title.
They're bowling first at Taunton - Lancashire are battling to stay in Division One.
Two overs gone, two maidens from Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton.
Essex v Surrey 1-0
Image source, Rex FeaturesJamie Porter opens the bowling for Essex and Rory Burns takes just a single off it.
Burns and his Surrey opening partner Mark Stoneman could well be high on the list to replace Alastair Cook in the England set up.
Who should replace Cook as England opener?
With Alastair Cook announcing his international retirement on Monday, I'm keen to know who you guys think should replace him.
There will definitely be one opener's spot available for the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka, maybe even two!
Get in touch using #bbccricket with your England top two.
Image source, Rex Features
Warwickshire v Durham - start delayed, rain
I can confirm from BBC Sport towers that it is a thoroughly miserable morning in Brum.
But thankfully in our other eight matches, play is beginning to get under way.
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Every ball covered
As ever there is ball-by-ball BBC local radio commentary from every match.
The action on 5 live sports extra comes from Chelmsford.
To tune in, click on the tabs at the top of this page.
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Nine points separate bottom four
Image source, Rex FeaturesFor the majority of the teams in Division One, the title is realistically, if not yet mathematically, out of reach.
The main focus, therefore, is to ensure they are still members of the top flight in 2019 - and it is anyone's guess as to which two sides won't make it.
Just nine points separate fifth-placed Lancashire from bottom club Worcestershire, and with Yorkshire seventh, there is the possibility of both Roses rivals dropping down to Division Two together.
But even Essex and Notts, in third and fourth, can't feel secure just yet.
Expect more than a few jangling nerves over the next four weeks.
Today's matches start at 10:30 BST because of the darker September nights.
BBC Radio Nottingham have done a handy little snapshot of the revised playing hours...
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Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire (10:30 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesOne has travelled halfway round the world, the other has only travelled up the M1 from Northampton.
But for Jeetan Raval and Ben Duckett, Nottinghamshire's game against Yorkshire marks the start of a new chapter in their careers.
Opener Raval has replaced fellow New Zealander Kane Williamson in a Yorkshire squad that has only managed two Championship centuries this summer and will be sampling county cricket for the first time.
For Duckett, his initial loan move to Notts, offers him a chance to try and reignite a career which has stalled somewhat since he won four England Test caps in Bangladesh and India two years ago.
Both clubs will be hoping their newest recruits can finish the season in style with a century or two.
Image source, Getty ImagesDivision One
Essex v Surrey - Essex win toss & bowl
Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire - no toss, Notts batting
Somerset v Lancashire - Lancs win toss & bat
Worcestershire v Hampshire - Hants win toss & bat
Division Two
Derbyshire v Glamorgan - no toss, Derbys batting
Gloucestershire v Middlesex - no toss, Glos batting
Kent v Northamptonshire - no toss, Kent batting
Sussex v Leicestershire - Sussex win toss & bat
Warwickshire v Durham - start delayed, rain
Image source, Rex FeaturesLet's start with that all important toss news on this murky September morning.
It feels like a good day to bowl first...
Essex v Surrey (10:30 BST)
It sounds simple - keep the level of performance going for another four weeks and the title will be yours.
That is the situation facing Surrey, who are 32 points clear of Somerset at the top of Division One, having won their last seven games in a row.
But is it that simple? Two of those matches are against last summer's champions Essex, who would love to make a point to the side likely to succeed them - and then there is a sizzling showdown with Somerset at Taunton in the penultimate week of the season.
Everyone at The Oval is desperate to see Rory Burns do what Adam Hollioake did in 2002 and lift the Championship trophy. Do any of their opponents have what it takes to stop them?
Image source, Getty Images