Somerset have gathered up all their eggs and placed them carefully into a basket with a post-it note attached to it, bearing the word 'spin'. Jack Leach and Dom Bess are operating in tandem after just six overs from their seamers, but Essex openers Nick Browne and Varun Chopra are still going along smartly at more than four and a half runs per over.

Both batsmen have 22 and Essex need another 288 for what would be, given their first innings deficit, a magnificent victory. But that's a long way off at the moment.

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Lovely shot by Brathwaite - who cracks Dawson through the off side for four.

462 behind now. Time for Fidel Edwards to have another bowl.

Dillon Pennington to bowl and he starts with a loosener well wide of off stump.

He straightens up and Harry Brook gets a thick inside edge on to the pads and the ball dribbles on to the on side. He jabs down on the last ball which bounces well short of gully.

Tense stuff for the White Rose county.

Liam Dawson bowls... Half appeal for a caught behind and another one for a stumping but Samit Patel survives.

Kyle Abbott takes the next over...

No joy so far for Somerset and Essex opener Nick Browne has just hit back-to-back boundaries off Josh Davey to move on to 18 not out in a positive start to their run-chase by the visitors. Varun Chopra has 15 at the other end and their target is now down below 300. Six overs gone, seven fours struck in total.

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Plenty of drama in our three remaining division two games...

Sussex have made a great start to their second innings at Hove against Derbyshire. They're 191-0 and lead by 236. Phil Salt hit his second first class century and is now 106 not out. Luke Wells is on 78.

At Northampton Middlesex are continuing the rearguard against Northants. Max Holden is 71 not out and has helped the visitors to 256-6 after the visitors were wobbling on 166-6. They lead by 96.

Kent are chasing down a target of 253 to beat Leicestershire at Grace Road. They're on 126-2 with Heino Kuhn on 55 and Sean Dickson on 47.

Ed Barnard strays down the leg side and Adam Lyth nudges the ball down to fine leg for four.

Close! Barnard bowls a much fuller and straighter ball which just evades the edge of an ill-timed drive.

232 behind.

Lancashire's 'morning' at The Oval, where they have taken four Surrey wickets for 81 runs. Jade Dernbach (17*) and Morne Morkel (10*) frustrated them in the final overs of the session, and the home side lead by 242. Could go either way this one.

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for Phil Saltpublished at 15:30 British Summer Time 21 August 2018

15:30 BST 21 August 2018

Sussex 440 & 180-0 v Derbyshire 389

Superb knock by Sussex opener Phil Salt, who reaches an 87-ball century with three runs off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson at Hove. He has hit five sixes and nine fours so far on what is proving to be a very unforgiving pitch for the bowlers. Partner Luke Wells has 70 and they are 230 ahead.

Ed Barnard's turn to bowl.

Four slips in place for now. He offers too much width and Harry Brook drives through the covers for four.

So far so good for Yorkshire but the gap is still 334 runs.

Important runs for Surrey as Jade Dernbach and Morne Morkel each find the boundary off Tom Bailey, and Dernbach adds another four in the next over from Graham Onions. The lead is 233.

• Sean Dickson (41*) and Heino Kuhn (40*) are developing a healthy partnership for Kent in their run-chase at leicester. They are 105-2, with another 148 required to win.
• Max Holden has moved on to 59 not out for Middlesex against Northants, with the visitors 232-6 and 73 ahead. Holden and James Harris have so far added 66 together.
• Phil Salt is just four runs short of a century for Sussex against Derbyshire. He's only faced 80 balls so far, but has hit five sixes and the home side are 171-0 in their second innings.

Josh Tongue is bowling with three slips and a gully.

He's getting good pace and bounce.

Harry Brook stays back and dabs into the off side with soft hands.

Surrey are batting with care at The Oval as Lancashire look to finish off their second innings. Josh Bohannon is now into the attack alongside Matt Parkinson, but a new ball is due. How long will it be before it's taken from the box?

Rikki Clarke is 19 not out and Morne Morkel has four - the lead is 218.

This looks like a flat pitch but with a stack of runs in the bank for Hampshire there's plenty of pressure on the Notts openers.

Kyle Abbott bowls. Kraigg Brathwaite plays very late and squeezes the ball out to square leg for one.

Time for trial by spin - as Liam Dawson comes into the attack.