The start of the Lancashire v Durham game was delayed yesterday. Not so today - all eight games have players and umpires wearing hats out in the middle. Here we go.

In case any of you were wondering whether BBC Radio Newcastle's Martin Emmerson had managed to weave his way through the cows (see 10:33 entry) and make it to Sedbergh School in time, he has. And he's remembered his sunglasses as well.

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Hampshire captain Sam Northeast insisted they were "back in the game" at Taunton despite the prospect of trailing Division One leaders Somerset on first innings.

Northeast hit 101 - his third Championship century of the summer - as they reached 329-8 on day two and will resume 79 runs in arrears.

“It was important we batted all day. The new ball was doing a bit and there was enough in it for the spinners to keep the batsmen honest. Facing Jamie Overton was a test because he is always a great competitor and bowled really well," Northeast told BBC Radio Solent.

"I was pleased to get my third century of the season, but disappointed to get out when I did. It was also a shock when Rahane and Rossouw got out because they looked to be batting so well, but Somerset don't give you anything.”

After an innings that has so far lasted just over seven and a half hours, the big question this morning at Trent Bridge is just how much Nick Browne has left in his tank.

He closed last night on 163, from 366 balls, his first Championship century in two years, to help his side build a 132-run lead over Nottinghamshire, on a day when just two wickets fell.

“It’s been a long time coming," he said. "I’ve felt really good this year. I’ve felt like I can score a hundred in any game. Last year was a tough year but that’s behind me now and I feel like a million dollars and hope I can continue like this for the rest of the year. I’m more happy than tired, to be honest. The joy of finishing a full day of batting but I’m over the moon.

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“We are a big team on building partnerships and ticking off partnerships, so each of those today was important. We don’t look too much at individual scores, it’s about ticking them off and if we do that, then we’ll get a big score.”

As for the hosts, Notts bowling coach Andy Pick summed up the mood.

“Whichever way you want to package it up, that was a tough day," he said. "There was no shortage of effort. We’ve only gone at less than three runs an over all day, so that suggests we’ve bowled in reasonable areas. But we’ve obviously not taken wickets and that’s what the game is all about."

We have ball-by-ball coverage of the eight Championship games again today.

Choose one from the links at the top of the page to rune in.

If you choose Yorkshire v Surrey - you will hear the mellifluous tones of Jonathan Doidge, Mark Church and Isabelle Duncan, and here they are with a before-play selfie.

It looked a daunting task for injury-hit Warwickshire when they went into this game without seven injured fast bowlers, forcing them to hand debuts to two short-term signings.

It looked worse when Kent ran up 585-7 before declaring. But now Warwickshire have batted on it too, and openers Dom Sibley and Will Rhodes looked pretty untroubled in reaching 142-0. So maybe it's the Canterbury strip to blame, not the bowlers.

"It's a featherbed of a pitch," Bears bowling coach Graeme Welch told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire. "There's not much movement through the air or off the surface, so it's going to be tough going for both teams.

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"I've never known anything like our injury situation. But our lads kept coming at Kent and never gave up despite the score. I couldn't fault them for the effort they put in and the energy they've brought.

"Toby Lester has only played a handful of first-class games. He kept pushing himself, then Matt Lamb, who's hardly bowled for the Seconds this year, also did a good job. And James Wainman, who was with Yorkshire and has been with us quite a bit this summer, I'm really pleased with how he's responded."

Lancashire and England fast bowler Jimmy Anderson best summed up the state of play in his county's meeting with Durham at Sedbergh School last night.

"It's still hard to figure out if we're in a good position or not," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

That's largely because there's only ever going to be one winner in this contest - and that's the place itself.

“It is a beautiful ground," Durham captain Cameron Bancroft told BBC Radio Newcastle. "You can't help but feel quite relaxed around here surrounded by beautiful countryside. It's nice to bring cricket to places where they don't necessarily get to see much first-class cricket.”

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Anderson is in full agreement. "It's a beautiful setting," he said. "A really nice ground and the wicket has held up really well so that's justified us coming here.”

As to whether Lancashire can go on to win, he added: "It depends on how we turn up in the morning because the new ball will be crucial. We're a bit disappointed we didn't kick on and get a few more runs. But they batted really well and got off to a good start.There's no demons in the pitch just yet."

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England opener Mark Stoneman said "keeping things simple" was the key to his return to form after scoring his first Championship century of the summer in Surrey's game against Yorkshire at Scarborough.

He went into the game averaging under 30, but made exactly 100 off 167 balls as the 2018 champions earned a 35-run first-innings lead.

“I would have loved to have gone on a lot longer than I did, but in the context of the game and the way I went about it, I was pretty happy," the 32-year-old told BBC Radio London.

“l earned a bit of a reprieve a couple of weeks ago when Rory Burns went down with his bad back. I think I was getting a tap on the shoulder then. Since then I’ve left the baggage of the early part of the season behind and just got on with the innings in front of me."

"Varying amounts of cloud with sunny spells" - that's the gist of Simon King's forecast for today.

For more detailed information, visit the BBC Weather site and use the search engine to find the city/town/village/hamlet you are interested in.

Glamorgan wicketkeeper Tom Cullen hopes he has done enough with the bat to keep his place when skipper Chris Cooke returns to the side from injury.

Cullen made his fourth half-century in their 449 all out on day two against Worcestershire, for whom Brett D'Oliveira took seven wickets.

"Another 50 for me, I'd like to contribute more but to get that last batting point makes a difference. Chris Cooke's due to come back next game, but if I can put as much pressure as I can to get in as a batter, then it's good for the club," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"I'd rather be us than them at halfway, it was a pretty good day for us considering we bowled for two sessions with the sun out and good batting conditions, I'll take my hat off to the bowlers.

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BBC Radio Newcastle's Martin Emmerson will be in place - we hope - at Sedbergh School for the resumption of Durham's game against Lancashire.

Come on Martin, get moooving!

Division One

Kent 585-7 dec v Warwickshire 142-0

Warwickshire trail by 443 with 10 wickets standing

Nottinghamshire 213 v Essex 345-3

Essex led by 132 with seven wickets standing

Somerset 408 v Hampshire 329-8

Hampshire trail by 79 with two wickets standing

Yorkshire 327 v Surrey 362

Surrey lead by 35 runs

Division Two

Derbyshire 557-6 dec v Middlesex 135-3

Middlesex trail by 422 with seven wickets standing

Glamorgan 449 v Worcestershire 191-5

Worcestershire trail by 258 with five wickets standing

Lancashire 337 v Durham 199-5

Durham trail by 138 with five wickets standing

Northamptonshire 273 & 212-4 v Sussex 106

Northants lead by 379 with six wickets standing

Leave the mattress, leave the pillow

Gather up gloves, pads and willow

Meet the challenge, whether seam or spin

Go seek the glory, go chase the win

Welcome to our coverage of day three of the latest County Championship matches. Play starts at 11:00.

Image source, Rex Features