Martin Emmerson
BBC Newcastle

To lose one player in a session to a run out is bad enough, but to do it twice takes some beating.

Alex Lees was sadly involved in both, but at 66 the last thing Durham needed was him to leave the field, on another difficult day with the bat, just an over before tea.

Lees and Gareth Harte battled hard to get Durham back into the game after they had been reduced to 42-3 before lunch. But having added 52 for the fourth wicket Lees called Harte through for a risky single after he'd cut the ball to George Balderson at backward point.

Balderson took the ball at the second attempt and hit the stumps from 25 yards, running Harte out for 18.

After Jack Burnham came and went for five Ned Eckersley then played a ball to Dane Vilas at mid-wicket and set off for an impossible run.

I think Lees was shocked to see him set off initially but belatedly tried to go for the other end, with no hope whatsoever of getting there and he was about two thirds of the way along the track when the stumps were broken.

Sloppy cricket from Durham and they are in a fix at tea.

After losing Emilio Gay for nought, Northants are going along nicely thanks to Ben Curran's counter attack.

The opener is on 27 off just 34 balls.

I thought Gloucestershire would start to fall away when they lost three wickets for one just run halfway through the afternoon session.

But they've counterattacked well with Jack Taylor (10) and Gareth Roderick (24) steadily adding to the total.

It's in the balance this one.

Derbyshire are still trying to break this ninth-wicket stand, but so far Callum Parkinson and Will Davis are holding firm.

Samuel Conners - who has two wickets today - comes back into the attack.

Play is back under way at New Road where Glamorgan wilted in the afternoon heat, failing to take a wicket.

Worcestershire's Jake Libby and Brett D'Oliveira have put on 123 for the fourth wicket and will want plenty more against Glamorgan's tiring attack.

Libby is 14 away from his century.

That wicket for Craig Overton was his 300th in first-class cricket. Taken at an average of just over 25 too. Excellent stats from the England paceman.

Sussex have just lost another wicket on the stroke of tea, George Garton nicked Harry Podmore behind.

Kent have grabbed a bit of initiative back at the end of that second session.

Elsewhere in the South group Middlesex have also just lost their sixth wicket - Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson removing James Harris. Middlesex are 191-6 as the players trundle off for 20 minutes.

Somerset have grabbed the early wicket they needed.

Emilio Gay edges Craig Overton behind and he's on his way for a duck.

We're still playing at Chester-le-Street.

Alex Lees has batted brilliantly at the top of the order for Durham. Right now he's on 64 from 198 deliveries.

Exactly what you want from an opener.

Image source, Rex Features

With tea being taken at quite a few grounds, now seems a good time to have a look at the scores...

North group:

Durham 123-5 v Lancashire

Leics 175-8 v Derbys

Notts v Yorks 177-6

Central group:

Gloucs 127-5 v Warwickshire

Northants 9-0 v Somerset 166

Worcs 188-3 v Glamorgan

South group:

Essex 185-5 v Surrey

Kent v Sussex 219-5

Middlesex 186-5 v Hants

Derbyshire are stalling slightly having reduced Leicestershire to 154-8.

Callum Parkinson is ticking along nicely on 18 and tailender Will Davis - 11 not out - has just struck his first boundary.

A useful partnership this for the hosts.

Hampshire keep on picking up wickets at timely moments.

Ryan Stevenson takes his second as John Simpson edges the seamer to slip for 28. Martin Andersson is looking splendid on 83.

There's also been a wicket at Canterbury where Kent paceman Harry Podmore has just removed Delray Rawlins to leave Sussex 215-5.

Yorkshire are looking good and are quickly approaching 200.

Harry Brook is batting superbly and is currently on 62, while Jordan Thompson has already racked up 26.

A great recovery from 33-3 this morning, having lost Adam Lyth, Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan in quick succession.

The game has resumed at The County Ground with Emilio Gay and Ben Curran opening the batting for Northants.

England paceman Craig Overton will take the new cherry for Somerset who have plenty to do to get back in this game.

Sussex go past 200 at Canterbury with captain Ben Brown (35*) and Delray Rawlins (16*) looking well set.

It's been Warwickshire's session so far at Bristol.

Gloucestershire looked set on 102-2 but when Ben Chelmsford fell for 51 the door opened for Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

The Bears bowler has tidy figures of 3-18 from his 15 overs.