And that's where a very soggy Friday draws to a close.

Thankfully Saturday is looking much better - how much damage on the outfields has been done today remains to be seen.

We'll be back at 10:45 BST with day three. Have a good evening!

It's a no I'm afraid.

We've not had much cricket today, but what we have had has been enthralling stuff.

Some top-notch bowling from Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott and Keith Barker in particular has caused the hosts untold problems and, though they are only 101 behind with six wickets remaining, Surrey's hopes of a healthy lead seem likely to rest on the shoulders of Ollie Pope.

He has ridden his luck and clawed his way to 48 while Jamie Smith will return at the other end in the morning on nine.

Let's just hope for better weather this weekend, because this one could come down to a shootout.

In the final reckoning, it's been a pretty good day for Lancashire.

They whipped out 3-21 in the opening half hour to put Essex on the back foot, before Matt Critchley made a fine 78 to nudge the home side ahead.

12 behind on first innings, Lancashire have built well, only losing Luke Wells.

Captain Keaton Jennings, 45, and Josh Bohannon, 28, will come back in the morning with a lead of 70.

Umpires Russell Warren and Alex Wharf are back out to the middle to have a look. Which way is the cricketing world going to spin in the next hour? We'll find out soon.

There are 20.3 overs remaining today, but I'm not sure we're going to see that many, even if we do get back on.

Still waiting for news from The Oval and Chelmsford. But as the clock ticks towards 18:00 BST I'm not feeling confident.

And I fear that could be day two of round two done.

Thankfully the weather on Saturday and Sunday is looking much better.

The bails are off. The players are off. The light is deemed unplayable.

The covers are coming on and, if it does rain, I'm not sure we'll be back tonight.

A real shame, this game is beautifully poised. It feels like Hampshire are potentially a Pope dismissal away from turning this into a one innings match.

Kyle Abbott unleashes another gutteral cry to the heavens as he appeals for... yep, lbw against Ollie Pope. That's got to be five big shouts now. This one, like several before, might just be a tad high.

Pope reminds us he's class with a cracking drive through the covers to move onto 46 and bring up the Surrey 150.

Image source, Getty Images

Even if Ollie Pope was a cat he'd be getting a bit nervous about his immediate future.

He gets away with another waft at a sublime delivery from Mohammad Abbas. There have been lbw shouts, edges, near misses.

It's been an intensely uncomfortable knock for Pope, spread across six short sessions now, by my count, but he's edged his way to 42 and it's turning into a crucial innings for his side.

It's got too gloomy at Chelmsford so the umpires have called play for the moment.

And with plenty of rain around that could well be the close of day two.

Lancashire in a good position.

Image source, Rex Features

This is developing into a very smart position for Lancashire.

Josh Bohannon has just played the shot of the day - a checked cover-drive so sweetly timed.

Keaton Jennings follows him with a crisp cut having just shuffled down the wicket slightly.

Runs starting to come at a decent lick for the visitors.

Image source, Rex Features

I had a feeling. The skies were clear and the sun was glorious this morning but rain has brought a premature halt to day two at the Riverside.

What cricket there was was good entertainment too. Alas. We try again tomorrow morning.

Withering stuff from Mohammad Abbas after Ollie Pope takes a big swing, only to toe-end the ball away tamely.

The former Pakistan international turns and follows an imaginary ball through the air back over his head and presumably over the ropes before turning to Pope with a wry smile.

Big shout from Kyle Abbott for LBW against Pope to start the next over, he cannot believe it's not been given. I'm not sure why it wasn't either.

Jordan Clark was nearly straight back to the dressing room. He edges a full-length Kyle Abbott delivery but it falls just short of Liam Dawson at second slip.

Abbott has hit his straps in the opening over after the resumption, beating the bat with his final ball of the set too.

With Mohammad Abbas now thundering in from the other end Clark might well wish he had come in at six or seven instead of five.

up for Lancashirepublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 14 April 2023

16:59 BST 14 April 2023

Essex 219 v Lancs 207 & 51-1

A firm short-arm pull from Keaton Jennings sends Doug Bracewell to the midwicket fence and the fifty is up for Lancashire.

They're in good early shape as they try to build a sizeable target.

We have players and umpires! We will be back underway at 16:55 BST and have 30 overs remaining today.

I'm not going to hazard a guess as to how many of those we see, I am just looking forward to watching more of this intriguing contest.

Prize for most frustration of the day must surely go to the poor folks at Northampton.

Various inspections and false hope have led to everyone hanging around for a very long time without a ball bowled.

They'd optimistically hoped for a 16:45 BST start but more rain has arrived and that's that for day two.

Back under way after tea with 34 overs scheduled but it's all light dependent from here.

Josh Bohannon has carved Shane Snater off the back foot for four past point.

Can Essex make further inroads in the gloaming?

I don't want to get too excited as I've been hurt before, but the covers are off at The Oval.

The players are having a nosey outside, sniffing the air like hibernating animals awaking in spring. The skies are lighter. There is hope of cricket to come.