The two teams shake hands at the Kia Oval as Hashim Amla adds an unbeaten 34 to his first-innings 84 and Ollie Pope makes 27 not out.

Sir Alastair Cook bowls the final over the match and a gentle full toss is whacked through the covers for four by Pope.

Essex collect 15 points, which means they will go into next week's final round of matches 21 clear at the top of Division One.

They are at home to Northants next, with Surrey - wuithout a win since the second phase of the Championship began - finishing their red-ball campaign by hosting Glamorgan.

That wicket was Matty Potts' fourth of the match to break a 68-run partnership.

Ben Sanderson joins Simon Kerrigan (15 not out) in the middle.

The deficit is 20 with 18 overs remaining by the way

With two international batsmen at the crease, Surrey are looking increasingly secure as they try to bat out the day for a draw, having followed on.

Hashim Amla is 30 not out and Ollie Pope has 23 after surviving a Simon Harmer maiden.

Five overs to go until the new ball becomes available with Northants trailing by 30.

Still a long way to go in this one.

for James Salespublished at 16:07 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

16:07 BST 15 September 2021

Northamptonshire 183 & 187-7 v Durham 400

A brilliant half-century comes up for James Sales in just his second County Championship game off 99 balls with nine fours.

Dropped on 43, Sales has helped keep Northamptonshire's hopes alive with 25 overs to go.

The final session last five deliveries at the Incora County Ground as Nathan Gilchrist cleans up Sam Conners as he tries to swing the ball to leg.

The Kent paceman finishes with 4-30 - and seven wickets in the game - as they make it three wins out of three in Division Three.

Anuj Dal is left unbeaten on 58, having hit five fours in his 98-ball innings.

Surrey appeared to be sinking into full-on defensive mode, but Hashim Amla has just pulled a short ball from Shane Snater for four.

He is 21 not out, Ollie Pope has two and a minimum of 26 overs remain, if we get that far.

Dropped catchpublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

15:59 BST 15 September 2021

Northamptonshire 183 & 179-7 v Durham 400

How costly could this prove to be?

Set on 43 not out James Sales hits Liam Trevaskis down the ground but doesn't get enough on it.

I think it's Ben Raine at deep mid-off who loses it in the sky and can't hold onto the ball.

That was a gift, Northamptonshire should be eight down.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle commentator

Durham need three wickets to win this one by an innings but are facing resistance from the Northants duo of James Sales and Simon Kerrigan.

Sales has 41 and Kerrigan seven and they are eating up overs. They still trail Durham by 40 runs and there are now 32 overs left in the game.

Their partnership is 48 runs from 109 balls.

Kent would very much like to get this over so they can start turning their attention to T20 Blast Finals Day on Saturday.

Anuj Dal and Sam Conners are making them work for it, though, and have stood together for 14 overs since the dismissal of Dustin Melton, so a delayed tea is taken.

Having been 89-6, this is a good effort by Derbyshire lower order, led by Dal, who is 58 not out.

In case you weren't with us earlier when Warwickshire completed a 106-run win over Yorkshire, here's what the Division One table looks like with just the final round of matches to go.

• Hampshire 56.5 pts
• Warwickshire 55
• Lancashire 54.5
• Nottinghamshire 52
• Yorkshire 41.5
• Somerset 26.5

Four still in it - whose hands will be on the trophy next week?

Back out after tea.

Durham lead by 61 and need three wickets to win by an innings.

for Anuj Dalpublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 15 September 2021

15:28 BST 15 September 2021

Derbyshire 156 & 196-9 v Kent 285 & 211-2 dec

Image source, Getty Images

It may be in a losing cause, but that's a nicely-played 50 for Anuj Dal, who reaches it from 85 balls with two runs off James Logan. Derbyshire are 145 short of their target with their last pair together.

We asked earlier about how you were feeling about your team's title chances with four sides - Hampshire, Warwickshire, Lancashire and Nottinghamshire - still in it.

Clearly some Notts fans are undaunted despite the defeat by Hampshire this week.

From @dj_zotov: "Come on Notts, let's hammer the Yorkies next week. We can still do this! #bbccricket, external."

A brilliant afternoon session for Durham comes to a close.

After four wickets went down straight after lunch, Northampton batsmen James Sales (24 not out) and Simon Kerrigan (three not out) have dug in and added a battling 27 runs.

The visitors' job is pretty simple. Take the last three wickets after tea.

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex commentator

Heading towards a draw at Grace Road, although Sussex with effectively two wickets down (because Fynn Hudson-Prentice won't bat) still have work to do.

Leicestershire have dominated the day, adding 201 runs in 30 overs to set up the declaration with Harry Swindells and Louis Kimber putting the young Sussex attack to the sword after lunch.

Sussex will hope that Ben Brown and Tom Haines steer them to safety, but should one of those fall after tea we could be in for an interesting last session of play.

Image source, Rex Features