Final day in seven opening round fixtures
Two division structure back for 2022 season: 10 teams in Division One, eight in Division Two
Northants and Gloucestershire draw in nail-biting contest
Essex and Kent play out inevitable draw at Chelmsford
Warwickshire draw with Surrey
Nottinghamshire beat Sussex by 10 wickets
Draws between Glamorgan and Durham, Middlesex and Derbyshire and Leicestershire and Worcestershire
Essex (514 & 68-1) draw with Kent (581-9)
The inevitable handshakes finally arrive at Chelmsford after Alastair Cook (26 not out) and Tom Westley (32 not out) put on a 50 partnership and nudge Essex back ahead.
Both teams take 12 points as they complete the cricketing equivalent of a bore draw in football.
Reece c Simpson b Helm 2 (Derbyshire 206-5 - target 356)
Tom Helm strikes again for Middlesex and now their chances of winning this match have increased.
Luis Reece feathers one through off his outside edge to John Simpson.
#tailendersoftheworlduniteandtakeover
Super Sunday you say?
You mean there's other "big" sporting events on right now other than this final-session, delicately-poised contest at Lord's?
Try telling two members of the Tailenders Podcast that...
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Northants 171-4 need 299 to beat Glos
Northants required 185 in 35 overs at the start of the afternoon session.
They've reduced that to 128 in 25 but have lost Saif Zaib after an 85-ball fifty, swinging hard at Ryan Higgins and skying one to backward point.
A tick above five-an-over required and T20 captain Josh Cobb now at the crease.
Leicestershire (213 & 171-9) need 199 more runs to beat Worcestershire (348 & 234-5 dec)
Worcestershire on the verge of victory meanwhile at Grace Road.
Dillon Pennington traps Chris Wright leg before for 15 while Hassan Azad remains unmoved at the other end on 79 from 185 balls.
Warks 531 v Surrey 428-8d & 19-0
Michael Burgess extended his career-best to 178 with 20 fours and eight sixes before being last man out as Warwickshire were finally dismissed for 531.
Sadly for him, it counts for absolutely nothing apart from his average and confidence.
If there's anybody watching Surrey see out these remaining 20 minutes until a draw can be agreed then I would like their written statement detailing why.
The 10th wicket stand, by the way, was ended at 122 - four short of the Bears' record against Surrey set way back in 1927.
Guest c Eskinazi b Helm 43 (Derbyshire 200-4 - target 356)
Middlesex grab another Derbyshire wicket in quick succession as Tom Helm removes another set batter.
Brooke Guest is well caught by Stevie Eskinazi at slip to a fast-moving outside edge.
Victory may well be getting away from the visitors now who still require 156 more in 31 overs.
Sussex 375 & 172-9 v Nottinghamshire 534-9 dec & 14-0
Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater knock off the require 14 to win at Hove in just 2.1 overs.
Nottinghamshire beat Sussex by 10 wickets and begin their Division Two campaign with 23 points. Sussex come away with just five.
Glamorgan (234 & 149-4) are level with Durham (383)
Back to parity at Sophia Gardens where Kiran Carlson has a half-century as well for the hosts.
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Madsen lbw b Helm 54 (Derbyshire 197-3 - target 356)
Could be a vital wicket at Lord's.
Derbyshire's Wayne Madsen is trapped leg before by Tom Helm for 54 off 72 balls.
There was a decent shout the ball before that looked too high and then a fuller delivery the next ball also nipped back to trap him on the crease.
Still 159 more needed to win in a minimum of 34 overs.
Nottinghamshire (534-9 dec & 0-0) need 14 runs to beat Sussex (375 & 172-9)
Nottinghamshire finally manage to wrap up Sussex's second innings.
Henry Crocombe falls for 11 leg before to Liam Patterson-White and with Dan Ibrahim absent injured that is them all out.
Nottinghamshire will require 14 to win.
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Derbyshire (304 & 188-2) need 168 more runs to beat Middlesex (401 & 258-5 dec)
Half-century for Derbyshire's Wayne Madsen as they continue to tick the board over.
He gets there off 63 balls with his seventh four.
Derbyshire (304 & 181-2) need 175 more runs to beat Middlesex (401 & 258-5 dec)
Well, who knows?
Derbyshire are still in this you feel with eight wickets in hand.
They will need another 175 more runs to win in a minimum of 38 overs still to bowl.
Brooke Guest (33 not out) and Wayne Madsen (47 not out) on the verge of resuming for the visitors.
Northamptonshire (288 & 114-3) need 185 more runs to beat Gloucestershire (223 & 363)
Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton at Wantage Road
A draw looks the most likely result now - although with seven wickets in hand, Northamptonshire won't have ruled out the possibility of chasing down another 185 runs in the remaining 35 overs.
The left-arm spin of Zafar Gohar might still have a role to play, while Ryan Higgins has been as miserly as ever - conceding just 11 runs in as many overs.
With Saif Zaib and Rob Keogh at the crease - and the likes of Josh Cobb and Lewis McManus to come - a home win is not out of the question, and the closer they get, the more chance Gloucestershire might have of snatching victory themselves.
Still plenty to play for with a session to go.
Glamorgan (234 & 136-4) trail Durham (383) by 13 runs
Nick Webb
BBC Radio Wales at Sophia Gardens
Glamorgan trail by 13 runs going into the final session as Kiran Carlson (47 not out) and Chris Cooke (40 not out) dug in for the second hour of the afternoon.
The fifth-wicket pair have given Glamorgan a chance of saving the game despite Durham’s seamers reducing them 66-4 on a relatively lifeless pitch.
Facing a first innings deficit of 149, Glamorgan stumbled to 34-3 at lunch as Chris Rushworth produced a familiar threatening opening spell, and the visitors looked set for victory when Ben Raine bowled Colin Ingram for 19.
Earlier spinner Andrew Salter claimed a career-best 7-45 as Durham’s batsmen swung wildly, leaving England opener Alex Lees not out on his Durham-best score of 182.
#bbccricket
Division One:
Chelmsford: Essex 514 & 0-0 v Kent 581-9
Northampton: Northamptonshire (288 & 114-3) need 185 more runs to beat Gloucestershire (223 & 363)
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 510-9 v Surrey 428-8 dec
Division Two:
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan (234 & 136-4) trail Durham (383) by 13 runs
Leicester: Leicestershire (213 & 147-8) need 223 more runs to beat Worcestershire (348 & 234-5 dec)
Lord's: Derbyshire (304 & 181-2) need 175 more runs to beat Middlesex (401 & 258-5 dec)
Hove: Sussex (375 & 166-8) lead Nottinghamshire (534-9 dec) by 7 runs
And to see those scores in more detail - head to our scorecards page right here.
Essex 514 & 0-0 v Kent 581-9
Nick Gledhill
BBC Essex at Chelmsford
So Essex have finally got off the field after 187.3 overs, an experience they won’t want to repeat this season.
Kent batted with more freedom this afternoon as Matt Miles (67) and Jackson Bird (53 not out) gave Kent six 50-plus scores in the innings.
Dan Lawrence emerged with credit in taking 3-98. He is getting better as a bowler all the time. Alastair Cook even bowled one over with a few added bowling impressions that drew inspiration from Graham Gooch.
Both teams will be thinking ahead to intriguing fixtures next week. Essex and Somerset won’t be the only contenders this season, but their match up at Taunton is always a big one. Kent will welcome a strong Lancashire side who are widely expected to be in the shake up again come September.
Essex and Kent will both take 12 points. Kent will be the more pleased.
They took an early tea at the innings break at Chelmsford, but it's now interval time on this last day everywhere else.
Sussex (375 & 164-8) lead Nottinghamshire (534-9 dec) by 5 runs
Sussex still fighting at Hove and Nottinghamshire will have to bat again.
Steven Finn and Henry Crocombe digging in.
Warks 500-9 v Surrey 428-8d
Ah, here's something for the Warwickshire boys to take from the afternoon...
...a free round of drinks!
Michael Burgess will need his credit card having gone past the 146 he made for Sussex against Notts back in 2017 - his maiden hundred.
He's got there with a sixth six.