Summary

  • County Championship returns after mid-season break for T20 Blast

  • Penultimate round of first phase of new format for this season

  • Top two sides in each of the three groups qualify for top division in second phase and chance to win title

  • No play possible in games at Old Trafford and Edgbaston

  1. Postpublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Notts v Derbyshire 47-3

    Back out after lunch at Trent Bridge and following five dot balls by Lyndon James, Derbyshire skipper Matt Critchley picks up three runs from his final delivery - and retains the strike.

  2. Postpublished at 13:43 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Somerset 105-0 v Leicestershire

    Steve Davies and Devon Conway's partnership has surpassed 100 runs at Taunton - Somerset's openers haven't put together many decent partnerships this season but Conway's presence has certainly helped.

    The pitch looks pretty flat, in Leicestershire's defence, and they're finding chances hard to come by, let alone wickets.

  3. rain stops play

    Inspection at Edgbastonpublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Warwickshire v Durham - start delayed

    With Warwickshire waiting to bat after losing the toss this morning, the umpires are going to take a look at 14:00 BST.

    BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson is not hopeful. "Just had another huge downpour and the field is saturated again," he reports.

    If you haven't seen the line-ups for this game - they are:

    Warwickshire: Rhodes, Sibley, Yates, Malan, Hain, Lamb, Burgess, Briggs, Miles, Norwell, Sidebottom.

    Durham: Bancroft, Jones, Borthwick, Bedingham, Stokes, Dickson, Eckersley, Carse, Raine, Potts, Rushworth.

  4. Back under way at Wantage Roadpublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Northants v Yorkshire 38-2

    Tom Taylor bowls for NorthantsImage source, Getty Images

    They've lost two overs because of rain but Yorkshire have resumed their innings after an early lunch was taken at Wantage Road.

    George Hill (19 not out) and Sam Billings (11 not out) are the men in the middle, with Northants having enjoyed the better of things in the first session.

  5. 50 runs

    50 for Devon Conwaypublished at 13:28 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Somerset 91-0 v Leicestershire

    Somerset v LeicestershireImage source, Rex Features

    Sam Northeast's Yorkshire debut didn't go to plan but Devon Conway has shone at times on his Somerset County Championship bow and reaches his half-century with a 10th boundary of his innings.

    It's his 54th first-class 50.

    Conway (51 not out) and Steve Davies (36 not out) have picked up where they left off before lunch.

  6. Back under way at Tauntonpublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Somerset 83-0 v Leicestershire

    They've restarted after an early lunch at Taunton and Somerset opener Devon Conway has already moved onto 47, off 80 balls.

    A depleted Leicestershire will have regrouped but any energy will soon be sapped if they don't get that breakthrough.

  7. Play to start at Hovepublished at 13:23 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Sussex v Glamorgan

    We have a start time at Hove after overnight rain meant the outfield was not fit for play this morning.

    They're due to get under way at 14:15 GMT.

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  8. Postpublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    What do you reckon? Lancashire's groundstaff or the original line-up of Take That wearing some unflattering stage outfits while rehearsing a cover version of Singin' In The Rain?

    Groundstaff at LancashireImage source, Rex Features
  9. Somerset openers 'untroubled'published at 13:14 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Somerset 83-0 v Leicestershire - lunch

    Anthony Gibson
    BBC Somerset

    The ever-elegant Steve Davies and the New Zealand run-machine that is Devon Conway have made largely untroubled progress against a Leicestershire seam attack shorn by Covid of its most potent weapon, Chris Wright, after Somerset were put in.

    It's the first 50+ opening partnership that Somerset have registered in 11 Championship games this season, and couldn't have come at a better time, as they are still without skipper Tom Abell (hamstring, but on the mend) and Lewis Gregory (calf muscle).

    Pitch looks flat. Rain about. Early lunch.

  10. Derbyshire struggle at Trent Bridgepublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Notts v Derbyshire 44-3

    Only 24 overs during the morning because of a short rain shower and it is Notts with the upper hand so far.

    Luke Fletcher, Brett Hutton and Lyndon James have each taken a wicket and Derbyshire's scoring rate has not even reached two an over.

    Leus du Plooy is 10 not out at the interval, with Matt Critchley on two.

  11. Hants pair hold up Surreypublished at 13:09 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Hampshire 62-1 v Surrey - lunch

    Hampshire will be happy to reach lunch with only one wicket down after some tight bowling by Surrey during the morning session.

    Kyle Jamieson set the tone on his Championship debut with 0-10 from six overs so far, but Ian Holland (22 not out) and Tom Alsop (23) have survived 17 since the dismissal of Joe Weatherley by Jordan Clark.

    Nick Gubbins is in the Hampshire side for the first time and is down to bat at number five, following skipper James Vince.

  12. Lunch scores round-uppublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire 44-3

    Warwickshire v Durham - no play before lunch

    Hampshire 62-1 v Surrey

    Somerset 83-0 v Leicestershire

    Lancashire v Kent - no play before lunch

    Northamptonshire v Yorkshire 38-2

    Sussex v Glamorgan - no play before lunch

  13. rain stops play

    Stokes waits for startpublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Warwickshire v Durham - no play before lunch

    Martin Emmerson
    BBC Radio Newcastle

    Ben StokesImage source, Getty Images

    Ben Stokes is making his County Championship return for Durham, but so far he's spent most of the day watching the rain fall.

    When play begins, it will be his first match in the Championship since a defeat by Gloucestershire at a sweltering Cheltenham in July 2018.

    We did have a toss and Durham skipper Scott Borthwick decided to opt for a bowl with lots of dark and threatening clouds around. But just before the start of play a bit of rain arrived. It then got a lot heavier. Within an hour the field was saturated.

    Thunder storms are forecast this afternoon but the umpires have opted for an early lunch and there is meant to be a weather window until about 4.00pm. The groundstaff are now busy trying to dry things off.

  14. Postpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Notts v Derbyshire 47-3

    That's exactly what Notts wanted just before lunch - Brooke Guest tries to drive a full delivery from Lyndon James, edges to the keeper and is gone for seven. Derbyshire captain Matt Critchley is the new batsman.

  15. Postpublished at 12:55 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Notts v Derbyshire 37-2

    After 18 overs with only one boundary, Leus du Plooy collects two off the bowling of Lyndon James - both spanked through the covers.

  16. rain stops play

    Rain stops play at Tauntonpublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Somerset 83-0 v Leicestershire

    Umpires at TauntonImage source, Rex

    The weather gods give with one hand but take with another...

    They've been taken off at Taunton because of a rain shower - nothing too heavy but they're taking an early lunch and will look to resume at 13:25 BST.

    Somerset are in control, with Leicestershire missing seven players who are having to isolate.

  17. Postpublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Hampshire 56-1 v Surrey

    Surrey decide it is time for spin and here comes Amar Virdi. He has 20 Championship wickets so far this season, but there isn't one in this over, which costs him just a single to Tom Alsop.

  18. Play at Northampton to resume at 13:30 BSTpublished at 12:42 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Northants v Yorkshire 38-2

    Good news from Wantage Road, where the rain has stopped and they're set to get back under way at 13:30 BST, after taking an early lunch.

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  19. Postpublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Somerset 77-0 v Leicestershire

    Devon ConwayImage source, Rex Features

    New Zealand batsman Devon Conway is really showing his class now, a stylish four down the ground rounding off the 20th over at Taunton.

    I'm stating the obvious but Leicestershire need a wicket as things have gone flat, with Conway (39 not out) and Somerset skipper Steve Davies (30 not out) moving towards half-centuries.

    Ben Mike gets one to swing for the Foxes and beats Davies, but it goes between bat and pad.

  20. Postpublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 4 July 2021

    Notts v Derbyshire 27-2

    After 17 overs, Notts finally made a bowling change with South African Dane Paterson replacing Brett Hutton and now it's Lyndon James taking over from Luke Fletcher, who has figures of 9-4-10-1.