Fairly comfortable progress for Kent thus far. But their task is unquestionably easier with Jofra Archer unable to bowl for Sussex.

It is still spin from both ends and a couple of singles are taken from Jack Carson's latest over before Ollie Robinson adds three runs from the final ball. He now has 37 not out and partner Jack Leaning is on 73.

Sussex bring on Delray Rawlins but his first delivery is wayward and Kent's Ollie Robinson helps it on its way for four runs to backward square leg.

A sweep shot later in the over brings the right-hander four more, taking him to 26 not out, and brings up a 50 partnership with Jack Leaning, who has 68. Kent's lead is 131.

Don Topley
BBC Essex

Derbyshire have batted with substance second time around, but still have a deficit of 102 to remove before Essex bat again.

Essex’s faster bowlers have performed well this morning with Jamie Porter and Sam Cook looking particularly dangerous, but it was Simon Harmer, who should have had a wicket just before lunch as Sir Alastair Cook dropped a sharp chance at slip from Leus du Plooy.

Earlier, a change of ball assisted Essex, as Porter had BIlly Godleman lbw for 45, but Brooke Guest played well for the second time in the match, before he left one and was adjudged lbw to Cook for a career-best 65.

Veteran Wayne Madsen with 21 and du Plooy with 31 have put on 46 for the fourth wicket and a minimum of 62 overs remain in the day.

You need to really concentrate now because it's Ollie Robinson bowling to Ollie Robinson. And it's a maiden from Sussex's England hopeful.

We are finally under way at Hove and spinner Jack Carson takes up the attack for Sussex. Jack Leaning collects a couple of twos to progress to 65 not out. Kent's lead is 113.

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Wood won't like that. He starts a new over and the first two deliveries bring Daryl Mitchell thick-edge boundaries down to third man. A single follows to take the right-hander to 61 not out.

Durham 246 & 389-5 dec v Worcestershire 213 & 69-0 - still in play

Essex 412-3 dec v Derbyshire 146 & 164-3

Surrey 206-4 v Somerset

Match abandoned as a draw - 9 pts each

Glamorgan 149 & 108-3 v Yorkshire 230

Kent 145 & 220-3 v Sussex 256

Another Sam Cook over comes to an end at Chelmsford, costing him three runs. Derbyshire are just trying to avoid any damage before lunch here or are they? Maybe not as Leus Du Plooy thumps Simon Harmer away for two fours in the next - the first slogged over mid-on and the second forced away off the back foot.

The visitors are still 102 in arrears, having followed on, but that is lunch . Du Plooy is 31 not out and Wayne Madsen has 21.

for Daryl Mitchellpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 16 May 2021

12:57 BST 16 May 2021

Durham 246 & 389-5 dec v Worcestershire 213 & 62-0

Daryl Mitchell reaches a sprightly 54-ball half-century with three runs off Chris Rushworth. It is the 55th of his first-class career to go with 38 hundreds. Does he have another century in him today?

Here comes Mark Wood for Durham. Can he extract enough life from the pitch to give Worcestershire's openers something to think about? Daryl Mitchell takes a single and Jake Libby is content to block out the remainder - he says on 14 not out.

Image source, Rex Features

Sam Cook sends down two dot balls to Leus du Plooy to complete his over following the rain interruption. Simon Harmer continues at the other end and after a couple of singles, Wayne Madsen pushes him away through the covers and picks up three.

Unsurprisingly, it is Chris Rushworth with the ball in hand at the Riverside. His opening over is characteristically tidy, yielding just a single to Daryl Mitchell, who moves on to 46 not out.

Following a rain shower at Chelmsford, the match is set to resume at 12:45.

It will be a 15-minute mini-session before the teams take lunch.

A quick reminder that play is due to start at 12:45 at Chester-le-Street.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Martin Emmerson reports that the players are warming up out in the middle, which is very good news.

Worcestershire's not out batsmen are Daryl Mitchell (45) and Jake Libby (14) - and remember that Chris Rushworth needs one more wicket to set a new club record of 528 in first-class for Durham.

Image source, Getty Images

The sixth round of County Championship games is drawing to a close and several players have been doing their bit to catch the eye of England head coach Chris Silverwood.

Some changes are expected in the squad for next first Test against New Zealand, with Craig Overton, Sussex's Ollie Robinson and James Bracey among those hoping for a call-up.

But which players do you think deserve to be given a chance by England? Get in touch and let us know.

Image source, Rex Features

On Saturday, Hampshire wrapped up a seven-wicket win as Middlesex collapsed at Lord's.

With rain threatening a wash-out of Sunday's play, and the Lord's floodlights on for the extra half hour, Sam Northeast hit four fours in a 13-ball cameo of 18 to seal victory.

"We just kept it tight and we got a few lucky wickets on the way but, all in all, we bowled brilliantly," said Hampshire all-rounder Keith Barker.

"We had our eye on the weather so it was a tough one - do we stick or twist? Hold out and bat and see how we get on with the weather or do we get it done? Fortunately we got it done.

"I just saw it as an opportunity, with the short boundary. It was still doing quite a bit and they'd changed the ball because the other one went out of shape, so I thought if we could make the most of the hard ball, every run counts."

So the situation is that there is no play going on in any of our four remaining games at the moment.

Hopefully, the hold-up at Chelmsford won't be a long one and the umpires hope to start at 12:45 and 13:10 at Chester-le-Street and Hove.

As for the Glamorgan v Yorkshire game......

The heavens open and the players trundle off.

It's not heavy rain, more of a drizzle. But the clouds above the pitch are very dark.