Rain stops playpublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 23 May 2021

12:23 BST 23 May 2021

Essex 217 v Warwickshire 166 & 63-0

Dark clouds have been looming and they've now arrived at Chelmsford.

Off go the players and that will almost certainly end any chance of a positive result in this one, barring a set up from the captains.

for Rory Burnspublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 23 May 2021

12:21 BST 23 May 2021

Surrey 190 & 216-2 v Middlesex 160

Rory Burns steers the ball down the third man for two and there's his first century of the season and his 20th in first-class cricket.

It's taken him just 149 balls and he has now scored 550 Championship runs in 2021 at an average of over 61.

Image source, Getty

Second rain delay in Bristolpublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 23 May 2021

12:19 BST 23 May 2021

Gloucestershire 27-6 v Somerset 300-8 dec

Not again. Iain Cockbain's dismissal by Craig Overton was the last piece of action before the umpires took the players off for the second time this morning. We imagine the frustration-ometer in the Somersert dressing room must be giving a pretty high reading.

The 12:00 inspection is made and the umpires hope we can see some play at 13:30. All about bonus points in this one, though.

Clive Eakin
BBC CWR Sport

It’s blowing a hooley at Chelmsford and the floodlights have come on. Seemingly it’s Essex who have been struggling most with the elements.

Although Jamie Porter in particular has produced some threatening deliveries, the bowlers have been wayward and that, along with a couple of fielding errors, have helped Warwickshire prosper.

The nightwatchman Danny Briggs (37) is enjoying himself and Will Rhodes (20) is looking for his first big contribution of the season with the bat.

Essex turned to Simon Harmer 45 minutes into the day after their first innings advantage had been wiped out. If Warwickshire can frustrate him they’ll be well on their way to securing a draw.

Surrey lose their second wicket as Hasim Amla takes a pace down the wicket and tries to hoist Tim Murtagh for six, only to be caught just inside the rope at backward square. He made 43 and Ollie Pope is the new batsman, with Rory Burns on 89 not out.

Matt Quinn drops short and David Lloyd pulls convincingly for four. Five runs come from the next delivery before Joe Cooke drives through mid-off for another boundary. Positive stuff from Glamorgan, who need another 290.

A single to Rory Burns off Blake Cullen and Surrey match their first-innings total for the loss of only one wicket. Burns is 82 not out, the lead is 220 - how many more do Surrey want before beginning the task of trying to bowl Middlesex out?

Kent are one of four sides who have yet to register a victory this season and with only three games to come after this one, they need a win here to boost their hopes of reaching the next stage of the competition.

Matt Quinn takes the new ball and his opening over is a maiden to Joe Cooke. It's Darren Stevens from the other end and he yields the first run of the innings to David Lloyd.

Better news from Bristol where the shower has passed and the umpires hope to re-start the game at 12:00.

Gloucestershire have lost three wickets for nine runs so far this morning.

Back-to-back boundaries flicked through the leg side for Danny Briggs off Peter Siddle and the scores are level.

The Warwickshire nightwatchman is up to 31 and any chance of an Essex victory is slipping away quickly.

Image source, Rex Features

Dan Douthwaite is now on for Glamorgan and his first over costs him 11 runs as Zak Crawley drives through mid-off for four and Jordan Cox collects a boundary to mid-wicket.

Kent won't want many more, surely. In fact, they don't want ANY more as the second declaration of the morning is made.

Jordan Cox finishes 27 not out, with Zak Crawley on 18. Glamorgan have 84 overs to chase what would be their second win of the season.

Skipper Joe Leach isn't a bad man to have coming in at 10 for the Pears.

Despite Luke Fletcher's heroics with the ball it'll still be a huge ask for Notts to win it from here.

Another 12 wickets needed and there's a bit of rain about.

As easy as the Jackson 5's ABC, Hashim Amla late cuts a wide one from Ethan Bamber for the first boundary of his innings.

The South African's second boundary of the over is less convincing, edged just wide of the solitary Middlesex slip - although Amla might claim he opened the face deliberately. (If he does, he might do it with a wink).

The lead is now just two runs short of 200.

Image source, Rex Features

It's been a boundary-fest for Warwickshire in the last few overs and they've almost wiped out the first-innings deficit of 51.

Four fours to nightwatchman Danny Briggs and a couple to captain Will Rhodes.

That little flurry may well have removed any threat of defeat for the West Midlands side.

The rain has stopped and they're going to start in 10 minutes at The County Ground.

Unless the captains set up something, this has draw written all over it.