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No change in the situation at Taunton, where rain has prevented any play since tea and the umpires have decided there is no prospect of a resumption.

Essex won't be bothered by the early finish as they just need to avoid losing this game to be crowned county champions for the eighth time.

For Somerset, however, time pressure is increasing, with just two days remaining - although the forecast for the remainder of the match is more encouraging. They must find a way to win if they are to take the title for the first time.

Nick Browne and Alastair Cook are the not out batsmen on 16 and five not out respectively.

23 overs left before stumps - but we'd need a bit of luck with the light to get through that many.

Looking promising now though. Far better conditions here compared to... everywhere else.

David Wiese and George Garton are at the crease for Sussex.

Daryl Mitchell will bowl.

Few cricket fans have been as frustrated by the weather as much as supporters of Notts and Surrey - as BBC London's Mark Church explains.

Two runs in 12 balls at the Oval today.

"Frustration" isn't strong enough as a word.

Scott Borthwick is 109 not out and Ollie Pope has 79.

D'Oliveira drifts to leg and Wiese taps the ball away to mid-wicket for one.

The bowler tosses the ball right up to Garton - who pushes carefully to mid off.

That's the tea interval. An interesting mini session where a 43-run stand with Brown and Clark was broken but a promising unbroken stand of 23 since thenwith David Wiese and George Garton.

Ed Barnard is getting the ball to nip in off the seam. Will he get one to go away?

Not yet. David Wiese turns the fifth ball to backward square leg for one.

Garton defends.

Brett D'Oliveira will complete the over after the injury to Wayne Parnell.

Wiese picks up a single and Garton is well forward in block mode.

We won't be seeing any more play today at Lord's.

Just 8.4 overs have been bowled, with Middlesex adding 23 runs for the loss of Martin Andersson and John Simpson.

Dawid Malan is still there on 66 not out - just one run short of 1,000 in the Championship this season.

Parnell injured?published at 16:12 British Summer Time 24 September 2019

16:12 BST 24 September 2019

Sussex 211-7 v Worcs

Wayne Parnell bowls...

David Wiese drives straight and the bowler has fallen over while diving in his follow-through to stop the ball.

He's clutching his shoulder.

And he's going off the field with the Worcestershire physio beside him.

David Wiese is forward to block Ed Barnard.

He opens the face and Brett D'Oliveira dives to cut off what would surely have been a four to third man.

A single off the last ball of the over.

Four more to Garton with a flashing drive through the covers off Barnard.

He picks up one off the last ball and keeps the strike.

Garton is beaten by Parnell outside off but the batsman sees out the over.

We are sorry to report that a fresh band of rain has arrived in Taunton and the covers are now on the ground. In theory, there are 33 overs left in the day's play - but that now seems unlikely.

"I fear that could be it for the day," says BBC 5 Live Sports Extra commentator Henry Moeran. Let's hope Henry has spoken too soon.

Great comeback from the Pears - who have removed Brown and Clark in quick succession.

George Garton picks up four runs with a flick to square leg off Ed Barnard to get Sussex to 200.

David Wiese plays a near-identical shot to get off the mark with a four against Parnell at the other end.

Nottinghamshire's teenage all-rounder Joey Evison, who made his England Under-19s debut this summer, signs a three-year contract.

Just the one run in the first over since the resumption - coming from a leg bye.

A tidy over from Matt Carter. Just one run.

And we're off. It's looking very gloomy at the Oval and the covers are coming back on.

From @Rhys2511: "Don’t worry about the score just bat sensibly till the end of play today and keep wickets in hand. Hopefully the rain will help us with the rest @EssexCricket, external#rain, external#bbccricket, external#Eagles, external"

The new batsman is David Wiese - who sees out the rest of Wayne Parnell's over.

The players are now having tea at Taunton. Here's the final wicket of Somerset's first innings as spinner Aron Nijjar ended a 59-run stand between Roelof van der Merwe and Jack Leach.

Scott Borthwick is 109 not out as he returns to the crease with Ollie Pope - who has 78.

Jake Ball is in the attack.