Fair to say it's been Warwickshire's session.

Zak Crawley, Ben Compton and Joe Denly are three decent scalps to have back on the balcony already. Daniel Bell-Drummond is unbeaten on 37 and Jack Leaning on seven at the interval.

Kent really would like them to be together at the end of the day's play too

Tom Lawes tries to bounce Ben Brown out. Brown gets a top-edge to his pull shot but it sails over that short boundary at deep backward square leg and into the stand.

The ball might have been scuffed up on the concrete but Lawes is told to get on with it.

Brown punches his next delivery away for four through the covers. He's not amused. Two balls later Nick Gubbins sends one to the mid-on rope.

The lead has crept up to 77.

Here's a great fact for you.

Peter Siddle was born on 25 November 1984, and on that date Australia were in the process of being hammered by the West Indies in Brisbane. It became famous as the Test after which Aussie captain Kim Hughes resigned in tears at a press conference.

Meanwhile, the 38-year-old seamer returns to see Haseeb Hameed drive him past the bowler handsomely for four.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

I have had little to write about. The game has died a slow death. Worcestershire are in no hurry with the bat and Durham aren't taking wickets. The atmosphere is flat. It's a good afternoon for a kip!

The only thing of note was the arrival of the new ball after 80 overs. Three overs and nine runs later it was replaced again. Maybe it is from that poor batch from last year, where we saw balls replaced every 20 overs or so?

Jack Haynes has 83 runs but has faced 183 balls and has a strike rate of 45. Gareth Roderick has 26 from 78 deliveries. And that's about it.

Nick Gledhill
BBC Essex

Keaton Jennings may not get a chance to resume his Test career this summer but if stats rather than style counted most he would surely be in contention.

After averaging over 72 last summer he has made another good start and here he steadied Lancashire after three quick wickets suggested a potential Essex breakthrough.

When Dane Vilas miscued a pull to mid on, Lancashire only led by 99 but Jennings has since played Simon Harmer as capably as anyone and his measured unbroken fifth wicket stand of 56 with George Bell feels significant.

Bell, who made his debut here last September, has again demonstrated considerable potential.

Of more concern for Essex was the sight of Sam Cook going off after two balls of his 16th over. We are told he felt muscle tightness and is being assessed.

A little bit of rain around so the umpires decide to take the players off at Chelmsford and the covers come on. That's tea. Lancashire have a healthy lead of 155 with skipper Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 80 and George Bell 30 not out.

Peter Siddle is convinced he has another wicket as the ball seems to take an edge from Ben Slater on the way through to James Rew behind the stumps.

But the umpire is having none of it, and the irked Aussie has to console himself with a bit of chirp aimed at the Notts number three.

Ooooh!

Matthew Potts gets one to climb on Gareth Roderick, the Pears' keeper cannot get on top of it but the edge flies over the slips and away for four.

A lucky escape for Keaton Jennings after spinner Simon Harmer skidded one through and hit the Lancs captain on the pad. However, Essex's players stifle their appeal when they realise there was a tiny bit of bat on that.

Jack Haynes will have his eye on a fourth first-class century after the Worcestershire batter moved on to 83 shortly before the tea interval at Durham.

George Bell has just driven Simon Harmer as beautifully as his namesake Ian to move on to 26 as Essex begin to toil in more favourable batting conditions at Chelmsford. Sir Alastair Cook is stationed at first slip clapping his hands encouraging his Essex team-mates but Lancs are on top here at the moment.

Hassan Ali comes into the attack at Edgbaston. Something different for Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly to think about.

Four pretty wide opening deliveries, none of them called by umpire Martin Saggers, the fifth is a no-ball and Bell-Drummond absolutely middles the next through the covers to move to 32.

The deficit is under 400. Psychologically important? Ok, maybe not.

There is a kind of weird symmetry to this match. Tom Lawes rearranged Liam Dawson's stumps with a peachy delivery in the first innings too.

A glitch in the matrix, perhaps? Either way, it's great to watch.

All the while Kemar Roach, causer of carnage in the first innings, is continuing to plough away, wicketless from the opening eight overs of his spell. Funny old game.

Ben Duckett made a name for himself by buying into Bazball in the winter, and he's picked up where he left off.

He comes down the track to Craig Overton before slapping him past point for four.

Duckett v the Aussie quicks will be one to watch later in the summer.

Bit of an injury worry for Essex with Sam Cook unable to complete his 18th over with one ball remaining. He's left the field to receive some treatment. He did not appear to be limping so it might be a minor niggle. We will keep an eye on that one. Meanwhile, Keaton Jennings is ticking along nicely and moved on to 71 as Lancs look to build a formidable total.

Postpublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 15 April 2023

15:09 BST 15 April 2023

Notts 256 & 22-0 v Soms 173

Craig Overton goes head over heels and into the deck after a delivery to Ben Duckett. Just for a second it looks like the imposing quickie is in trouble, but he picks some mud out of his studs before heading back to his mark.