A maiden from Kyle Abbott which ends with a rapid bouncer which Ben Brown has to leap to gather after Hassan Azad takes evasive action. The Northants opener is 14 not out.

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We're down to two slips for Broad now - who started this spell with four.

A late leave off the third ball as the ball moves away off the seam.

Maiden over.

Finlay Bean is tested with the short ball by Robinson after a play and miss earlier in the over - and swats this delivery away for a single.

He slogs a single off Haines to deep backward square.

He's struggled for fluency in this innings but is still there - on 36.

Malan drives Haines through the off side for one.

Shot! Sam Robson drives Hutton confidently through mid on for four runs as Dane Paterson dives over the ball trying to stop it.

At the other end Stoneman clips Broad away in front of square for four more.

Not the warmest of days for those inhabiting the commentary box at Northampton.

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Sam Whiteman square cuts for four in Ian Holland's latest over.

Trying to repeat it almost proves his undoing as the ball just misses the outside edge.

Whiteman is 19 not out and Hassan Azad has 10.

The floodlights are on at Taunton, but Lancashire don't seem in any bother with the bat.

Josh Bohannon takes one hand off the bat but still succeeds in a lofted drive for four off Lewis Gregory as they get 11 runs off the over.

Almost halfway to the Somerset score.

Robinson gets one to bounce and leave Malan late in his best over of the session so far.

Medium pacer Tom Haines is into the attack.

Finlay Bean misses a leg side slog and the ball runs down to fine leg for four byes.

Not the best way to bring up the Yorkshire 100.

But it's not how, is it? It's how many. There's a bit of chat in the field now...

Stoneman is batting fluently here but is squared up a little by Broad as he jabs the ball down into the off side.

Beaten outside off stump by the last ball as the ball moves away late.

Robson tries to get off the mark with a flick through the leg side off Hutton but can't get the ball away.

Solid in defence though.

Tom Westley hits another poor delivery from Nathan Gilchrist down to the fence at deep square leg and that brings up the 250.

A first batting point for Essex. They will fancy a few more.

Josh Bohannon crunches one through the covers for four to bring up the 50 partnership between him and Keaton Jennings for the second wicket.

It really has been simple stuff for the batters.

To add to Somerset's bowling woes, Kasey Aldridge has limped off the field with what appeared to be a bout of cramp.

Remember, Craig Overton and Josh Davey are both sitting this game out with injuries.

Lovely shot from Malan who stays in his crease and eases the ball through cover for four runs off Robinson.

Four more off an identical stroke.

Solid start from Yorkshire's number four.

Worrying signs for Northants - either Mo Abbas is varying his pace or this pitch is showing signs of becoming a little uneven.

The Pakistani seamer sends down one which bounces twice before reaching keeper Ben Brown and ends the over with a similar delivery which lifts more than Sam Whiteman was expecting.

Ian Holland will bowl from the other end. Remember, there is no Keith Barker in the Hampshire XI because of injury.

This is classic Keaton Jennings.

Slow to start, but then starting to accelerate as he gets in. To prove the point, he hits Peter Siddle for three successive boundaries.

The Lancashire skipper now has 82.

Broad is bowling round the wicket and getting the ball to nip away from the slope or hold its line at will.

The last ball of his over however is overpitched and punched through mid off by Stoneman for four.

The players have returned for the final session of the day.

28 overs to go. Essex are on the hunt for more runs to rack up a huge score. Kent are praying for wickets.

Finlay Bean pulls a short ball from Crocombe and the ball lands just short of Ali Orr at mid wicket.

He was the unlucky fielder at leg slip earlier on in Bean's innings.

Just the one run scored off Broad's over.

Brett Hutton bowls at the other end and Stoneman punches his third ball through cover for two.

A push through mid on for one more and Robson defends.

Four runs to Bean via a flashing drive that squirts the ball just past third slip.

Robinson is back in the attack. Malan picks up a leg bye off the second ball and Bean defends.

Lighter skies drifting in and we should be in for a pleasant evening session of play.

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A victory for Lancashire as Jack Leach is taken out of the attack after 12 overs, going at more than a run-a-ball.

Jimmy Anderson apart, the seamers have not had too much joy on this pitch, though.