A full length ball by Van der Gugten is driven through the off side by Watling for four.

He's doing a good job in this third wicket stand with Alex Lees after the hosts fell to 33-2 in the 12th over.

Image source, Rex Features

There's been a lot of talk recently about when, and if, Essex spinner Simon Harmer might be able to play Test cricket for England. Here's the view from someone who is not too thrilled at the prospect.

from @carr2k1987: "#bbccricket, external morally, surely England can't select Harmer after playing tests for the Saffers before?! Clearly he's international standard, but I don't think it would sit well with a lot of England fans."

Do you agree or disagree? Get in touch and let us know your opinion.

This one will resume in around five minutes. A couple more bonus points will be enough for Northants to go up and a Gloucester defeat will be a boost for fourth-placed Glamorgan as they try to snatch third place from Gloucester to go up to the top flight.

Nick Webb
BBC Wales Sport

Roundabout even-stevens, I'd have thought, with proceedings in the first hour.

Three runs for BJ Watling with a flick to leg off Timm van der Gugten.

Lees is pushing forward and beaten outside the off peg.

A single to Lees to square leg brings up the Durham 50 in the 15th over.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Newcastle

It was a beautiful morning when I arrived in Chester-le-Street, sunny and warm. Unfortunately water got under the covers last night during a downpour and saturated the area of the square they were due to play on.

To compound matters, the blotter broke down on the field and the groundstaff had to wait until that could be fixed before they could finish clearing up last night's moisture.

Thankfully, they prepared two wickets ahead of this game and the players are using a strip 50 yards from the river side of the ground - but play didn't get under way until midday.

Durham were put in. No shock there. Glamorgan need a big win here, but no visiting side has managed maximum points in Chester-le-Street this season.

Relegated Notts are in the 'last-chance saloon' at the Oval - it's their last chance to avoid going through an entire Championship campaign without a single victory.

Surrey made a good start with Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick putting on 70 for the first wicket - but their progress was checked when Paul Coughlin, another ex-Durhamite, took two wickets in the same over.

Borthwick is still there on 50 not out, having hit seven fours so far in his 89-ball knock.

Lukas Carey is bowling round the wicket to Alex Lees - who dabs one down to fine leg for one.

Watling is beaten outside off stump and there's a half appeal for caught behind.

Even the bowler didn't go up for that one. Umpire Peter Hartley is unimpressed.

Alex Lees plays Timm van der Gugten defensively into the off side.

A leg side ball is shovelled away to square leg for four.

A well pitched up ball is driven to cover but a diving stop from Michael Hogan prevents a run.

Kyle Abbott and Keith Barker shared the six wickets between them as Hampshire dominated the opening session in their game against Kent at Canterbury.

Abbott bowled Zak Crawley for nought with the second ball of the game and Kent have been unable to stem the flow of wickets with a significant partnership.

Daniel Bell-Drummond made 39 before he was leg-before to Abbott, but no-one else has reached 20 in seamer-friendly conditions.

Image source, Rex Features

Yorkshire's morning at Edgbaston, where Tom Kohler-Cadmore has made an unbeaten 80 off 92 balls against Warwickshire.

He shared an opening stand of 77 with Adam Lyth, and has so far added 51 with debutant Tom Loten, who reached the interval on 19 not out.

Warwickshire have paceman Craig Miles back in their side and he claimed the only wicket to fall when Lyth was caught low at second slip after a loose stroke.

Adrian Harms
Sports reporter, BBC Sussex

Sussex have made a good recovery after being 8-2 at one stage with openers Wells and Haines out for ducks, and both to poor shots.

Stiaan Van Zyl has led the recovery and has looked largely untroubled reaching lunch 45 not out, and together with Delray Rawlins has added 49 for the fourth wicket

Ed Barnard has bowled beautifully for Worcestershire taking two of the wickets to fall, helped by a magnificent low diving catch from keeper Ben Cox to account for Will Beer

He's not playing in this game, but no-one would enjoy a first Somerset title than Marcus Trescothick.

There has been a special lunchtime ceremony at Taunton to mark the former England opener's imminent retirement

So it's advantage Essex after a rain-shortened morning session in the tile decider at Taunton.

James Hildreth and Tom Abell appeared to be repairing the damage after the early loss of both openers, but then enter Simon Harmer, Division One's leading wicket-taker, with two in the same over.

Here's how he got rid of Hildreth and Tom Banton.

Lunch will be at 1330 BST after a wet pitch delayed the start of play this morning at the Riverside.

Robson leaves Lukas Carey outside off stump and picks up a single off the third ball.

A slower ball nips away from Lees outside off. 23 runs added since the early loss of Cameron Steel.

Division One:

Kent 79-6 v Hampshire

Somerset 75-4 v Essex

Surrey 117-2 v Nottinghamshire

Yorkshire 127-1 v Warwickshire

Division Two:

Durham 27-1 v Glamorgan - stll in play after delayed start

Gloucestershire 80-6 v Northamptonshire

Leicestershire 81-4 v Lancashire

Middlesex 72-2 v Derbyshire

Sussex 81-3 v Worcestershire

Rob Keogh bowls the last over before the break.

Ben Charlesworth defends and that's lunch.

It's been a sorry tale for Gloucestershire this morning. The hosts slipped from 27-0 to 67-6 and that slide was aided by two run outs.

Northants need two more points to be certain of First Division cricket next year.

Alex Winter
BBC Radio Northampton commentator

A draw with a tidy haul of bonus points suits both sides at Bristol and as such, the wicket has been shaved of any green grass.

But as ever, the new ball has posed problems and Northants, needing only four points to confirm promotion, are on their way with Ben Sanderson matching last season's tally of 60 wickets in the Championship.

Gloucestershire need nine points to seal a return to Division One. Two run-outs have worsened their position, the second George Hankins with cruelly backing up.

They need at least 200 to keep their own position in their own hands. Rain expected any time from 2.00pm at Bristol.

Lukas Carey bowls wide of off stump to Alex Lees and the ball is left alone.

Four slips and a gully here.

A bit more bounce from Carey and Lees dabs down to point for one.