No early finishes in the opening round of the County Championship, with all six games heading into the final day.

It's not often that you see Sir Alastair Cook dismissed twice in one day, but Kyle Abbott 'had his number' as Hampshire continued to dominate Essex.

At Trent Bridge, Joe Clarke needs three runs to complete a century in each innings for new county Notts against Yorkshire, while the game between Somerset and Kent could still go either way.

Run chases are already under way for Leicestershire and Durham, and Middlesex are clinging on at Northampton, so everything is set up for what should be an intriguing final day.

We'll be with you again from 10:30 BST. See you then.

Division One

Hampshire 525-8 dec v Essex 164 & 132-4

Essex need another 229 to avoid an innings defeat

Nottinghamshire 408 & 329-5 v Yorkshire 291

Nottinghamshire lead by 446 with five wickets standing

Somerset 171 & 171-7 v Kent 209

Somerset lead by 133 with three wickets standing

Division Two

Derbyshire 197 & 334 v Durham 171 & 10-0

Durham need another 351 to win with 10 wickets standing

Northamptonshire 445 v Middlesex 271 & 109-2

Middlesex need another 65 to avoid an innings defeat

Sussex 173 & 308 v Leicestershire 252 & 99-1

Leicestershire need another 131 to win with nine wickets standing

Image source, Rex Features

George Bartlett steers the final ball of the day for four as he and Craig Overton survive the final 15 overs at Taunton to give Somerset a glimmer of hope against Kent.

The home side looked to be heading for defeat at 111-7, but the pair have shared a vital unbroken stand of 60, with Bartlett 35 not out and Overton on 27.

Their lead is only 133, but bowlers have been on top for most of the game and Kent won't relish having to chase too many more.

Relief for Essex as bad light prompts umpires Neil Mallender and Martin Saggers to lead the players off - explaining why Joe Weatherley was just given an over by Hampshire.

The visitors, though, may need more help from the elements on the final day if they are to avoid starting the summer with a defeat as they still trail by 229.

Ravi Bopara has played an excellent innings to reach 60 and he and Ryan ten Doeschate (18) have so far added 38 for the fifth wicket.

Resisting a talented Hampshire pace attack refreshed by a night's rest on Monday will be a tall order.

Image source, Getty Images

As on day one with his century, Notts batsman Joe Clarke is the star on day three. He ends unbeaten on 97, running out of overs to make it centuries in both innings on his Championship debut for the county.

Now his captain Steven Mullaney will have to decide whether Clarke and Samit Patel come out in the morning so the Notts debutant can reach that milestone.

It is possible they'll simply declare overnight to maximise the time they have to bowl Yorkshire out. The home side now have an enormous lead of 446 runs at Trent Bridge.

Late in the day at the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire turn to the occasional off-spin of Joe Weatherley. His first over is tidy enough, yielding only a single to Ravi Bopara.

He is now 60 not out, with Ryan ten Doeschate, who squirted a boundary backward of point in Kyle Abbott's last over, on 18. The deficit is now 230.

A quick reminder that because of Adam Wheater's thumb injury, Hampshire only need five more wickets.

Last over at Trent Bridge, Joe Clarke is on 96 - can he get to three figures before the close?

Somerset lead into three figurespublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 7 April 2019

18:21 BST 7 April 2019

Somerset 171 & 140-7 v Kent 209

You can only imagine what Kent paceman Matt Milnes must be thinking.

He tries his luck with a bouncer to George Bartlett, who is late on the shot but a top edge flies away over the slips for six.

Milnes is then guilty of a long hop outside off stump and Bartlett cracks it away for four in more authoritative fashion.

He now has 25, Craig Overton is 12 not out, and Somerset's lead is 103.

England spin bowler Jack Leach has found something to smile about at Taunton, even though he was left out of Somerset's team and is having to watch them struggle against Kent.

Image source, Getty Images

They are done for the day at Wantage Road because of bad light, with Middlesex recovering from the loss of two early wickets after following on.

Dawid Malan (55) and Sam Robson (40) have so far added 99 and the visitors need another 65 to avoid an innings defeat.

Nathan Buck followed up his 5-54 in the first innings by removing Nick Gubbins and Stevie Eskinazi cheaply, but Northants could not make further inroads before the weather closed in.

for Ravi Boparapublished at 18:06 British Summer Time 7 April 2019

18:06 BST 7 April 2019

Hampshire 525-8 dec v Essex 164 & 106-4

Ravi Bopara collects three runs down to third man at the start of a new Kyle Abbott over to bring up a 57-ball half-century. It has been an attractive innings so far, featuring seven boundaries. But Essex are still 258 away from making Hampshire bat again.

Durham avoid any loss before bad light brings a premature end to proceedings at Derby, and will need another 351 on the final day to win the match.

Alex Lees will resume six not out, with Gareth Harte on four, after they were pinned down for 14 overs in reaching 10-0.

Tom Lace (61), Harvey Hosein (62) and Matt Critchley (51) all batted well for Derbyshire, leaving the visitors facing what would be the second-highest successful run-chase in their history.

for Steven Mullaneypublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 7 April 2019

17:54 BST 7 April 2019

Notts 408 & 277-3 v Yorkshire 291

Notts captain Steven Mullaney clears his front leg out of the way and clatters the ball to the cover boundary, bringing up his 50 in the process. It's taken him just 50 balls and included six 4s and two 6s.

He obviously never needed to send a message down to push the run rate on, as he was waiting to get to the crease himself to sort it out.

The home side are hurtling towards a declaration now.

The umpires were hoping to resume at 17:30 BST following rain at Hove - but the light is not good enough and play has been called off for the day.

Leicestershire will need another 131 for victory on the final day - and should reach their target if they avoid early damage, with Paul Horton 53 not out and Championship debutant Hasan Azad on 27.

It was a day to remember for two Leicestershire bowlers with Colin Ackermann taking five wickets in Sussex's second innings and Tom Taylor picking up four to finish with 10 from the match.

The arrival of Notts skipper Steven Mullaney to the crease has seen a real effort to increase the run rate. He's taken England captain Joe Root and his part-time off-spin to the cleaners with an aerial straight drive that almost went all the way, a nonchalant slap to the cover boundary and a slog-sweep for six.

Throw in the three boundaries he's hit off fast bowler Duanne Olivier and you get the picture.

Mullaney now on to 35 from 38 balls.