Joe Root takes a couple of singles either side of the wicket to move the England captain onto 90. Between those, he and Yorkshire partner Gary Ballance scuttled through for a leg-bye and a Jake Ball really lifted up of a length, but Root managed to get out of the way.

What was I saying about Ballance needing a few more boundaries... well he's just heaved Ball for successive 4s and is now onto 64.

Catching up.

We've had wins for Somerset, Hampshire and Leicestershire so far this afternoon. If you're fan of one of those sides, get in touch and tell us how you see the Championship campaign panning out for your team.

Once again Joe Root nudges the opening ball of the over for an easy single, moving him to 88. Gary Ballance leg-glances a slack delivery from Samit Patel to the boundary for four which he'll need a lot more of if he's to accelerate from 56 to three figures. He then edges the final ball just short of slip fielder Steven Mullaney - the closest we've come to a wicket for a long, long time.

England seamer Jake Ball puts down the first over after tea for Nottinghamshire. Joe Root nudges a single off the first ball to move onto 87 before Gary Ballance sees off the remaining deliveries, having a bit of a waft at the penultimate ball.

for Dawid Malanpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 8 April 2019

16:06 BST 8 April 2019

Northamptonshire 445 v Middlesex 271 & 294-4

Image source, Rex Features

East as you like, Dawid Malan guides a ball from Rob Keogh into a vacant off-side gap and takes the single which brings him to 150.

It's taken the left-hander 247 balls and he has plenty of time available to try and beat his own career-best score of 182 not out, made against Notts at Trent Bridge in 2015.

Kit Harris
BBC Sport commentator

That, boys and girls, is a heist.

At half past five yesterday Somerset were dead and buried, just 74 runs ahead with three wickets in hand.

Somehow they have pulled it off, thanks to the contrasting but effective styles of George Bartlett and Jack Brooks with the bat, and the irresistible bowling of Lewis Gregory, who’s now being received in the home dressing room with rapturous applause. Surely he has never bowled better.

Kent are shell-shocked. They dominated the first two days of this game and they must be wondering what they did wrong.

Image source, BBC Sport

It's looking like a draw here, but as play gets back going can England captain Joe Root convert his 86 not out at tea into a century?

Gary Ballance is alongside him for Yorkshire on 52.

Dave Bracegirdle
BBC Radio Nottingham commentator

England captain Joe Root passed 50 for the second time in the match as Yorkshire moved closer towards securing a draw on the final afternoon at Trent Bridge. The visitors reached tea on 181-2, still 266 runs away from their nominal victory target of 447.

Root, who made 73 in the first innings, is unbeaten on 86 with Gary Ballance 52 not out. Their stand is currently worth 157.

Nottinghamshire seamer Jake Ball dismissed Yorkshire openers Harry Brook and Adam Lyth early this morning.

Somerset come out on top in a see-saw match at Taunton as James Hildreth swoops forward at slip to catch Mitch Claydon off Josh Davey.

Darren Stevens runs out of partners on 43 not out as Kent suffer defeat on their return to the top flight following last summer's promotion.

Lewis Gregory finished with 5-18 from 13 overs for Somerset, who were 111-7 in their own second innings before adding 132 for the last three wickets to leave Kent a target of 206.

The home side take 19 points and Kent four.

• Full match scorecard

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

Middlesex have moved themselves close to safety having been asked to follow on at Wantage Road.

Captain Dawid Malan has produced a brilliant 149 not out to keep Northants at bay, the majority scored in front of Ed Smith.

Max Holden shared a century stand with Malan but was dismissed after driving the ball into a leaping silly point only to see the ball deflect to short leg.

There is a twist to the tale as the match situation mirrors the infamous incident at the Oval in 2017 when Middlesex needed to get far enough ahead to declare and make up a minus 2 over-rate - which they have also conceded here - with the ball.

That ended in a crossbow bolt fired onto the field and Middlesex left frustrated in the hopes to return to the field. Barring a freak intervention here, the visitors just need to make sure they time their declaration carefully against a dangerous batting line-up.

Two wickets fall in an over and Derbyshire are almost there against Durham.

Ben Raine can hardly believe it when he hits a low full toss back to spinner Matt Critchley.

And James Weighell follows when he is run out by Luis Reece's direct hit from mid-on as he is forced wide by Critchley's position at the bowler's end.

for Gary Ballancepublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 8 April 2019

15:40 BST 8 April 2019

Notts 408 & 329-5 dec v Yorkshire 291 & 180-2

Image source, Rex Features

Gary Ballance clips Paul Coughlin behind square off his legs for four and joins batting partner Joe Root in going to 50.

The former England batsman - we're approaching two years since he last played a Test - has provided exactly what Yorkshire needed to save this match. He's taken 167 balls to reach his half-century and has hit nine 4s, but I can't remember any of them being played with a hint of risk.

Only a mammoth collapse will hand Nottinghamshire victory here. I think we're heading for a draw folks.

As you were at Taunton, with Kent continuing to chip away at their target.

Lewis Gregory has been called up for a new spell, but Darren Stevens collects a couple to progress to 42 not out.

The visitors need another 83.

Dave Bracegirdle
BBC Radio Nottingham commentator

It looks like one of those long barren streaks is going to continue. Notts haven't beaten Yorkshire in the County Championship at Trent Bridge since 2008.

Certainly when Adam Lyth was bowled this morning and it was 24-2, you wondered if Notts might be on their way. That seems like a very long time ago.

This partnership between Joe Root and Gary Ballance is almost 150 and is by far and away the highest stand of the match.

The day hasn't panned out the way Kent would have hoped in their first match back in Division One following promotion last summer.

They are though now less than 100 from their target at Taunton as Darren Stevens continues to try and guide them to what would be an unlikely victory, having been 45-6.

He is 32 not out and partner Matt Milnes has eight. The magic number for Kent fans is 206.

Joe Root and Gary Ballance have shared a partnership of 116 runs to put Yorkshire in with a great chance of saving this match at Trent Bridge.

Notts turn to England fast bowler Stuart Broad for the first time in 35 overs as they search for a breakthrough. He starts with a maiden.

You have to wonder whether Broad's workload is being managed by the England set-up, because otherwise it doesn't really make sense that he's barely bowled today.

Two England batsmen are now batting together for Middlesex at Northampton, with Eoin Morgan joining Dawid Malan after Max Holden was caught behind off Rob Keogh for 54.

The visitors are 259-4, a lead of 85, with Malan 127 not out and Morgan on 11.

Durham opener Gareth Harte's patient vigil at Derby has come to an end, with Logan van Beek bowling him through the gate for 69.

The visitors are 185-5, having been set a target of 361, and Derbyshire are now the favourites in this one.

Don't forget, Leicestershire have already wrapped up their game against Sussex, winning by seven wickets at Hove.