for Jake Libbypublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 8 July 2019

14:10 BST 8 July 2019

Notts 119-1 v Somerset 326

Libby works Jack Leach to fine leg for a couple to bring up a half century.

It's hard work in the field for Somerset.

Image source, Rex Features

Second-placed Essex are ahead and looking to put themselves in a match-winning position.

Ryan den Doeschate has 32 and Adam Wheater is the new batsman on five.

It's statistical milestones all round as Notts bring up three figures.

Chris Nash has 39 and Jake Libby 44.

Tom Westley has moved on to 81 and Ryan den Doeschate has 21.

Essex will soon be in the lead.

Plenty more runs in this track at The Oval. Zak Crawley will hope so.

He is about to resume on 56 not out.

There is cricket at Chelmsford. Imminent at various other grounds too.

Image source, Getty Images

Yorkshire and England all-rounder David Willey has extended his deal at Headingley.

He's obviously enjoying life in the county enough to want to stay up north since his move from Northamptonshire back in 2016.

Willey's not taking part in Yorkshire's ongoing match against Essex at Chelmsford because of personal reasons, by the way.

After a delayed start yesterday, Sussex are batting on the second day of their four-day match against Australia A at Arundel.

Delray Rawlins has a half-century for the hosts while Nottinghamshire's James Pattinson, who will be aiming for a place in the Aussies' Ashes squad, has four wickets.

And that's a full house of lunches.

Richard Gleeson bowls his former Northamptonshire opening bowling partner Ben Sanderson for 13 to leave Luke Procter not out on 48.

Lancashire are under the pump here. Northants all out for 442.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Newcastle

Colin Ackerman’s fifth half-century of the County Championship season has put Leicestershire in a great position on day two of what has so far been a low-scoring game.

It came in 133 balls and included four 4s. He’s been steady away while wickets have fallen at the other end.

Ben Raine, the former Leicestershire all-rounder, has so far taken four wickets, while 19-year-old Jack Campbell has got his first Championship wicket on his debut.

That was Gavin Griffiths who was caught at second slip on eight, having helped double the Foxes lead from 31 to 62.

Progress has been slow under grey skies and a wicket which is offering a bit for the bowlers. A lead of 150 would be invaluable, while 100 shouldn’t be sniffed at either.

Certainly not easy going at Grace Road but Leicestershire have battled well to reach 191-7 and start to build a healthy lead over Durham who they bowled out for just 117 yesterday.

Middlesex are fighting hard to make their 172 look respectable. Toby Roland-Jones has taken a 5-for to help cut Gloucestershire down to 122-6.

And Derbyshire's batsmen have made light of the difficult surface at Kidderminster second time around by moving on to 96-2. They were bowled out for 108 in the first innings and then dismissed Worcestershire for 113.

They're into an extra half-hour at Wantage Road because Northants are nine down. It's been a brilliant morning for them as they've pushed on to 437-9 against Lancashire, with Luke Procter and Nathan Buck putting in a great effort late in the innings.

Zak Crawley goes to lunch unbeaten on 56 with Joe Denly 11 not out.

Those two will be hoping they might find themselves batting together for England later this summer but, for now, they have county business to take care of with their side making a strong start to their reply.

for Zak Crawleypublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 8 July 2019

13:06 BST 8 July 2019

Kent 61-1 v Surrey 271-9 declared

That's a well-timed half-century for the Kent opener with England Test selection meetings just around the corner.

It comes up with an effortless clip through midwicket as Jordan Clark strays onto the leg side and is punished.

Kent trail by 210.

Sam Hain makes it to the break in Southampton unbeaten on 112 with Olly Stone seven not out.

But it has definitely been Hampshire's morning and the visitors are still 269 adrift.

A battling performance with the bat from Notts duo Jake Libby (36) and Chris Nash (35) after Ben Slater was removed early on means they're on the cusp of three figures. That's still a long way from Somerset's total of 326 though, so still very much in the balance at Taunton.

Essex's morning at Chelmsford as they're now just 16 runs behind Yorkshire's first innings total and they still have six wickets in hand. More than that, Tom Westley's still at the crease on 79.

Matthew Fisher has the only wicket of the morning by having Rishi Patel caught in the offside. Since then, Essex skipper Ryan ten Doeschate has come in and quickly swiped his way to 14.

Yorkshire need wickets after the break.

Chris Nash (31) and Jake Libby (36) have now shared a 50-run partnership for Nottinghamshire to start eating into Somerset's advantage in this first innings. Should they survive the next few minutes, then Notts will be more than happy with their morning's work.

Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator

A busy and rather confusing morning.

With Gareth Batty being taken ill overnight Kent agreed that Amar Virdi could take his place in the Surrey side. But the ECB then said this was outside the competitions regulations so Surrey's innings came to an end with the scoreboard reading 271-9.

The Kent bowlers made the ball swing late and dismissed Ben Foakes for 60 and Rikki Clarke for 27. Sam Curran removed Sean Dickson for 1 as Kent replied and after an hour of confusion cricket took centre stage again.