Saif Zaib and Lizaad Williams have now used up eight overs this afternoon.

Their partnership is a more than useful 42 with Williams offering good support, taking up 50 balls for his 17.

The lead is 276 runs and there are 57 overs to go.

The match is moving towards a 50-over-esque run chase, IF Surrey can wrap up these last three wickets.

Alex Davies has hit a couple of boundaries since lunch to help edge Warwickshire within 300 of their unlikely target.

The second of them even brings a cry from beyond the boundary of the traditional "Come on you Beaaaarrrrsss'!

"That's the first in this match," claims BBC CWR Clive Eakin.

The home fans have been quiet, that's for sure. But maybe they're starting to pipe up a bit.

Postpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

13:30 BST 15 September 2022

Sussex 220 & 170-3 v Worcestershire 438-5 dec

Tom Clark hammers a long hop from Brett D'Oliveira for four and then from the next ball, he hits a glorious six after dancing down the wicket.

Sussex continue to eat into the Worcestershire deficit. It is now down to 48.

Somerset unhappy with the ballpublished at 13:23 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

13:23 BST 15 September 2022

Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 61-1

An early afternoon ball change for Somerset.

After just 18 overs of the Warwickshire second innings, the umpires' spare box of balls is out - and they've chosen another one.

Taking the new ball aside, only the second ball change in this match - well down on this season's average up and down the country, you'd think?

BBC Weather is forecasting a cloudy afternoon in Northampton with no hint of sunshine and the commentators on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra are saying that is very gloomy.

There are 62 overs scheduled for the rest of the day. But getting all those may be a tall order.

Saif Zaib whips his first ball of this session away to the fence for four more runs.

Zaib is on 71, a season's best, beating the 65 he made against Gloucestershire in the opening game in April.

Jordan Clark has the ball in his hand to bowl at number nine Lizaad Williams.

Middlesex captain Tim Murtagh was pleased with his side's professional job done in finishing off Glamorgan this morning at Lord's.

“I’m really happy with the character we’ve shown," he said. "It was an important marker, the comprehensive nature of the win against a team who had gone above us last game.

“We’ve done it the tough way, which is really pleasing and we’ve had a couple of big match-winning performances with Mark Stoneman’s hundred and then Toby Roland-Jones with a five-for. He’s such a big player for us. He gets wickets when we’re struggling."

Having made their final appearance of the summer at cricket headquarters, Middlesex's games are both away, to winless bottom side Leicestershire next week, followed by a trip to New Road to meet a Worcestershire side who have not yet given up on promotion, although less so if they fail to beat Sussex at Hove today.

Image source, Rex Features

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex

Image source, Adrian Harms - BBC Radio Sussex

A few early alarms this morning, but Sussex have reached lunch trailing by 66 runs and on a good batting surface ought to save this game.

After nightwatchman Brad Currie and Ali Orr were dismissed earlier, Tom Alsop and Tom Clark have so far added 64 for the fourth wicket.

However Worcestershire know that they need to win to keep their outside promotion chances alive.

And, having dominated this game from the start, they will still feel they have a chance with quick wickets after lunch.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

Some enterprising cricket from Somerset this morning, as they set up the declaration by adding 63 runs in 9 overs.

That left Warwickshire a target of 364 in a minimum of 82 overs.

But then some rather ragged early overs, as the bowlers maybe tried too hard, allowed Warwickshire to get off to a fast start.

Dom Sibley, playing some uncharacteristically handsome shots in his 38 not out, has kept an unlikely Warwickshire victory just within the bounds of possibility.

Division One

Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 339 & 327-7, Surrey 421

Edgbaston: Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 56-1

Division Two

Leicester: Durham (296 & 108-3, 21 pts) beat Leicestershire (202 & 198, 4 pts) by seven wickets

Lord's: Middlesex (390 & 45-0, 23 pts) beat Glamorgan (214 & 220, 4 pts) by 10 wickets

Hove: Sussex 220 & 152-3, Worcestershire 438-5 dec

Tom Alsop and Tom Clark have put on 66 for the fourth wicket and they head to lunch, trailing by just 66.

Northants have fought hard this morning, adding 118 runs and losing two wickets as they lead by 245.

Surrey still need three wickets before they can think of chasing.

A fascinating afternoon in prospect.

Warwickshire reach their first point of survival - the lunch interval.

for Tom Alsoppublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

12:23 BST 15 September 2022

Sussex 220 & 146-3 v Worcestershire 438-5 dec

Well batted Tom Alsop.

Nine fours in his half century and he is doing a fine job of slowing up any potential chance of a Worcestershire victory.

Lizaad Williams gets off the mark thanks to a full toss from Jordan Clark, who is on for Kemar Roach.

Ten minutes until lunch. Northants lead by 239.

Too many four balls?published at 12:19 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

12:19 BST 15 September 2022

Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 53-1 (13 overs)

Three boundaries from Warwickshire and England opener Dom Sibley in one over.

Six in total. Not his normal game. But he is already on to 37 - and showing the sort of unrestrained shot-making ability that he demonstrated when he first arrived at Edgbaston and he was even part of the Bears' T20 team.

Sibley is off back to Surrey next summer but will he be joining the newly-crowned champions? And will Surrey still be playing the Bears in 2023? Sibley is so far doing his best to ensure the latter.

Alex Davies, by contrast, is still becalmed on 2, from 19 balls.

A classic case of role reversal!

The two Toms, Alsop and Clark are performing a steady job for Sussex.

Their partnership is worth 31 and they have brought the deficit down to under 100.