Summary

  • Lancs win Div Two title as Northants out cheaply

  • Somerset lead Essex by eight points in Division One

  • Somerset 30-2 in reply to Hants' 196 at stumps

  • Surrey 137-4 against Essex at close

  • Kent's Stevens smashes brilliant 237

Live Reporting

Gary Smee and Ben Pheazey

  1. Can Lancashire seal the Division Two title?

    Lancashire v Middlesex (10:30 BST)

    They just might do so in this round.

    They face Middlesex at home this week and need five points to secure the title.

    Lancashire go into the penultimate round off the back of a comfortable win at home to Derbyshire by an innings and 45 runs while Middlesex finished on the wrong end of a tense low-scoring thriller at Lord's - where they lost to Durham by 44 runs chasing 195.

  2. rain stops play

    Toss delayed at Chelmsford

    Essex v Surrey - start delayed, rain

    The forecast is fairly gloomy for most of the day in Chelmsford. Let's hope they're wrong.

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  3. Hampshire bat first at Ageas Bowl

    Hampshire v Somerset (10:30 BST)

    This is a crucial game for Somerset. They only have a slender lead of eight points over second-placed Essex in this round of the Championship.

    Depending on the Essex result (vs Surrey at Chelmsford) Somerset could clinch their first title before the top two meet at Taunton next week if they win here.

    Craig Overton has recovered from a side strain and replaces Jack Brooks in their squad.

  4. Toss news

    Let's get straight to it with the toss news...

    Division One

    • Essex v Surrey - toss delayed, rain
    • Hampshire v Somerset - Hants won the toss & are batting
    • Notts v Warwickshire - no toss, Warwickshire bowling
    • Yorkshire v Kent - Kent won the toss & are batting

    Division Two

    • Derbyshire v Sussex - toss delayed, inspection at 10:30 BST
    • Glamorgan v Leicestershire - Leics won the toss & are bowling
    • Lancashire v Middlesex - no toss, Middlesex bowling
    • Northants v Durham - toss delayed
    • Worcestershire v Gloucestershire - toss delayed

  5. There's a bit of rain about in the south of England at the moment, so a few games won't get under way at 10:30 BST, but hopefully it shouldn't stick about for too long.

    Let's get to some toss news...

  6. Good morning and welcome to the penultimate round of the 2019 County Championship season.

    There's still plenty to sort out in both divisions.

    Somerset and Essex are separated by a whisker in the title race, while five teams are battling it out to join Lancashire in Division One next season.

    It should be a cracking few days.

    County Ground ChelmsfordRex Features