Dave: Just got to make sure we (Notts) play positive cricket and do what it takes to ensure we get the minimum of draw required. Be delighted if we finish in top two & qualify for Super Group with chance to go for title after starting season with 0 wins in three years. Quite the turnaround.

Well, you've had a good start to the Durham innings, Dave...

Daryl Mitchell plunders his first boundary of the day in the Worcestershire-Warwickshire derby - and he's off and running again at New Road.

He moves to 87, within 13 of what would be a 39th first-class century.

One of the big questions of the early session is how big a lead can Hampshire build in the decisive Group Two game at Gloucestershire?

With Somerset virtually certain to avoid defeat at Surrey after their 429, these two teams are fighting it out for the other Division One spot.

Nick Gubbins has stroked a boundary off the fourth ball of the day to move to 36no and the lead is approaching 50.

Half-century for Jack Haynespublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 13 July 2021

11:10 BST 13 July 2021

Bears 395, Pears 160-2

Nice start to the day for Jack Haynes against Warwickshire at Worcester.

He reaches a half-century for the Pears against the Bears for the second time this season.

He went on to make 87 at Edgbaston back in May, only to miss out on a maiden first-class hundred.

Can he take that extra step this time?

Daryl Mitchell is eyeing a century too. He is yet to add to his overnight 83.

The lights are on at Chester-le-Street for Liam Patterson-White and Luke Fletcher as the Notts last pair resume after an unexpected day's rest.

Early boundary for last man Fletcher to get the day truly off and running.

That first wicket has come in Canterbury - and fairly quickly at that, from the final ball of the day's opening over.

It's a five-fer for Sussex teenager Jamie Atkins in only his fourth first-class match. His second five-fer as well - he took 5-98 against Yorkshire last month.

He beats Bailey Wightman all ends up and takes out his off stump - a duck on debut for the Kent man who replaced Nathan Gilchrist yesterday after the bowler was pinged by Track and Trace.

Wightman has just been pinged in a different way.

We are under way in seven of our eight matches, with the Roses match set to resume in an hour's time at 12 noon.

Where will the first wicket fall? And when?

The majority of matches will be starting on time at 11:00 BST but there will be an hour's delay in the Roses match at Emerald Headingley where persistent rain soaked the outfield on Monday.

There was a pitch inspection scheduled for 10:30 BST and umpires Ian Gould and Nigel Llong have ruled the game will begin at 12:00 BST - with 88 overs in the day.

We lost a lot of play on Monday - indeed a whole day's cricket at Emerald Headingley and Chester-le-Street, along with early finishes or delays at the Kia Oval, Canterbury and Cardiff.

But the forecast for Tuesday is much brighter so let's hope those covers stay off.

Image source, BBC Sport

With it being the final round of fixtures, it's worth a reminder of how things stand in the three groups ahead of the start of the third day.

In Group One, leaders Nottinghamshire look well placed at 312-9 after Tuesday's washout against Durham, who must win to break into the top two.

The trouble for Durham is that second-placed Warwickshire also appear well-positioned to claim one of the two Division One qualification spots after posting 395 at Worcestershire.

Essex's slim chances of breaking into the top two were ended yesterday by the Covid-enforced abandonment of their game with bottom side Derbyshire.

Image source, BBC Sport

In Group Two, leaders Somerset sailed to 429 against Surrey to strengthen their position - avoid defeat and they are virtually guaranteed progression to Division One.

The winner-take-all clash between second-placed Gloucestershire and third-placed Hampshire has been shaded by the visitors at Cheltenham - they have a first-innings lead of 41 with five wickets left but a draw is no good to them. They have to win to progress.

Most matters in Group Three, meanwhile, are already decided with Yorkshire and Lancashire progressing - although the Roses match will determine who finishes top so there is more than pride still to play for. Kent and Sussex are battling each other to avoid the wooden spoon.

Image source, BBC Sport

Group One:

Derbyshire 146, Essex 86-3 (match abandoned)

Nottinghamshire 312-9 v Durham (no play on Monday)

Warwickshire 395, Worcestershire 152-2

Group Two:

Gloucestershire 229, Hampshire 270-5

Middlesex 324, Leicestershire 174-5

Somerset 429, Surrey 24-0

Group Three:

Northants 219, Glamorgan 52-2

Sussex 181, Kent 122-7

Lancashire 273-2 v Yorkshire (no play on Monday)

It's day three in the current round of County Championship matches - and we're hoping for more luck with the weather at the eight games left all over the country.

Chief victims yesterday were at Derby, where the Derbyshire-Essex game was abandoned completely because of a positive Covid test in the home dressing room.

But a complete day was lost both in the Durham-Notts game at Chester-le-Street and in the Roses Match in Leeds.

And there was rain too at Canterbury, Cardiff, the Kia Oval and Merchant Taylor's.

In fact, Worcester and Cheltenham were the only two places to miss it.

It looks there might be a slightly late start in Leeds as the ground recovers from yesterday's heavy downpour. But, other than that, we're good to go.

The balls are red, not white. And there's no flags or fancy dress. But strap yourself in for some intoxicating Championship-style cricket for the next eight hours or so.

Image source, Rex Features