Mike Taylor
BBC WM

Sam Hain cover-drove the final ball of the session for four, a classic fielder-teaser that kept Tom Fell chasing to the last stride, but always in vain.

Loud shouts from the Warwickshire balcony accompanied the stroke, as Hain’s team-mates acknowledged that it raised his first half-century of what has been, up to now, a somewhat tortured short season.

So far today, though, the elegant strokes are back in Hain’s game – albeit chosen selectively, as Worcestershire’s bowling has offered little of a loose nature to hit.

Alas for the home team, following their decision to bowl first, their attack has also not carried much of a threat.

They have never been less than tidy, but never more than that either, perhaps blunted by a pitch that appears to have little pace.

Certainly they have not managed to ruffle the Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes at all, and what would be his first hundred since taking the job appears close at hand, after two sessions of precise and, of late, more inventive batting.

Late second break at Taunton because of the rain and it's come at a good time for Gloucestershire with Somerset rallying from 89-5.

George Bartlett is playing fluently and has punished anything wide.

Craig Overton is having a memorable season and is beginning to assert his significant frame here.

But an edged boundary just before the break suggests there's still enough movement available for the Glosters.

Image source, Getty Images

Tea time in south London - a better session for Surrey with four wickets, but young Kent batsman Marcus O'Riordan is looking in decent touch on 30.

North Group:

Durham 154-4 v Derbyshire - tea

Leics 154-7 v Notts - tea

Yorkshire 8-0 v Lancashire - close

Central Group:

Northants v Glamorgan 183-9

Somerset 129-5 v Gloucs

Worcs v Warwickshire 155-1 - tea

South Group:

Hampshire v Essex - start delayed, inspection at 15:45 BST

Middlesex v Sussex 171-3 - tea

Surrey v Kent 162-5

50 for Sam Hainpublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

15:48 BST 22 August 2020

Worcs v Warwickshire 155-1

A first significant innings of the 2020 summer for Sam Hain.

A composed fifty in 157 balls with six fours and he and Will Rhodes have put Warwickshire in command at tea.

Rhodes heads off for a slice of Vicky sponge just five short of a sixth first-class hundred.

Tim Murtagh gets Sussex skipper Ben Brown on the stroke of tea and the visitors are three down at Radlett.

It's tea at quite a few grounds now, so a good time to look at the scores...

The umpires keep looking at Arundel and keep shaking their heads after the earlier heavy rain.

They'll have another look in 10 minutes.

Image source, Rex Features

Somerset are trying to find a partnership.

George Bartlett, who played the first game against Glamorgan and returns here replacing Tom Banton, has cut George Scott among his five boundaries.

And Craig Overton is simmering. He drove his second ball through the covers for four and thumped Matt Taylor down the ground for a second boundary.

It's been a great afternoon for Northamptonshire with five wickets since lunch.

Two each for Brett Hutton and Jack White and Blessing Muzarabani has also struck.

Can Callum Taylor rescue Glamorgan on first-class debut? He's timed a splendid cover drive for a first boundary.

Play abandoned at Headingleypublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

15:12 BST 22 August 2020

Yorkshire 8-0 v Lancashire - stumps

Image source, Rex Features

The rain continues to fall in Leeds and they've decided to call it off for the day.

Just 13 balls were possible when they got under way briefly before lunch.

They'll try again tomorrow when thankfully the forecast is better.

parntershippublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

15:11 BST 22 August 2020

Durham 135-3 v Derbyshire

Alex Lees (73*) and Gareth Harte (43*) have now put on 103 for Durham's fourth wicket.

North Group leaders Derbyshire need some inspiration from somewhere.

partnershippublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

15:08 BST 22 August 2020

Worcs v Warwickshire 121-1

A square cut from Sam Hain and a pull through mid-on from Will Rhodes and the Warwickshire pair raise a hundred stand at New Road.

Worcestershire will be concerned having chosen to field.

Hain rediscovering some form after a poor summer so far with five single-figure scores and three failures in the intra-squad England matches.

for Taylorpublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

15:00 BST 22 August 2020

Leics 130-5 v Notts

That's one way to get your side out of trouble! Tom Taylor has smashed his way to a half-century off just 60 balls.

His stand with wicketkeeper Harry Swindells is now worth 76 and it's some recovery since they were 54-5 shortly after lunch.

Image source, Rex Features

It really is a stinker in Leeds today...

Image source, Getty Images

Somerset have begun rebuilding at Taunton and George Bartlett, the 22-year-old born in Surrey, has found four boundaries including a pleasant cover drive against George Scott.

Steven Davies is alongside him and a man in form after a century last week at Edgbaston and an 80 in the opening match.

But it's the Somerset lower order you have worry about. Both Overton twins, Roelof van der Merwe and even Jack Brooks have made match-defining runs this season.