Dropped catchpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

14:04 BST 26 July 2023

Hampshire 120 & 34-2 v Essex 169

A flurry of chances going to ground all over the country, it seems - and there's one down at the Ageas Bowl too.

It was a sharp one, with Jamie Porter forcing the edge from Nick Gubbins and the ball whizzed through the slips, close to the outstretched arm of Simon Harmer, for four.

The other good news for Hampshire is that James Vince returned to the field with no apparent lasting damage and carrying a thigh pad that he proceeded to strap into place.

Back out at Trent Bridge, where Ben Compton has registered his first boundary by steering Brett Hutton to the cover fence.

The left-hander has scored five, while opening partner Toby Albert is on nine as Kent look to make inroads on that Notts total of 350.

Dropped catchpublished at 13:59 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

13:59 BST 26 July 2023

Somerset 170 v Surrey 281-6

You could not make this up - Craig Overton drops Jamie Overton!

Super ball from Matt Henry has Jamie fishing and it goes towards the slips, where Jamie dives to his left and puts it down.

Having got out to his twin yesterday, Craig is coming second best in the Overton battle.

Dropped catchpublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

13:58 BST 26 July 2023

Lancashire 34-0 v Northamptonshire 342

That is a bad drop from Justin Broad!

Jack White has been on the money in his seven overs and he induces an edge from Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings.

It travels to a comfortable height at third slip, but Broad puts it down.

Jennings is the big wicket in this Red Rose batting. He has 17 - how many more will he add?

Postpublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

13:51 BST 26 July 2023

Hampshire 120 & 25-2 v Essex 169

The afternoon session is under way at the Ageas Bowl and Nick Gubbins adds a single to the Hampshire total.

However, Gubbins was almost doubled up by another Jamie Porter delivery that kept low and crashed into his pads - while James Vince took an even more uncomfortable blow slightly, er, higher up the body.

Vince has temporarily gone off for treatment, leaving his helmet, gloves and bat on the field.

Surrey lead by 100published at 13:49 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

13:49 BST 26 July 2023

Somerset 170 v Surrey 274-6

A fantastic shot by Will Jacks, as when Matt Henry drops a fraction short, he pulls him over midwicket for a maximum.

Jack moves to 90 and the lead is now three figures.

The game is firmly in Surrey's grasp.

First batting point for leaderspublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

13:44 BST 26 July 2023

Somerset 170 v Surrey 258-6

Will Jacks wallops his first ball of the middle session for four and that is the 250 up for his side and a first batting point.

He goes even bigger from his second ball, launching Shoaib Bashir over the ropes.

Jacks is now on 83 and if he hangs around, the runs will flow.

Image source, BBC Sport

While the players are off for lunch at Old Trafford, it is worth pointing out that this is only the third Championship match to be played on the ground all summer.

The last red-ball cricket staged here was on 14 May - a gap of 72 days - with two intervening Lancashire home games staged in Southport and Blackpool.

In that time, Manchester City have won a treble in football, we have had four Ashes Tests, the French Open and Wimbledon tennis and three men's Majors in golf.

Then once this match is done and dusted, Championship cricket is back here on 10 September, another break of 44 days.

We know the cricket schedule is an absolute jumble, but something must have gone wrong when only one four-day game is held during the three summer months at one of England's premier cricket venues.

Division One

Southampton: Hampshire 120 & 22-2, Essex 169

Manchester: Northamptonshire 342, Lancashire 21-0

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 350, Kent 8-0

Taunton: Somerset 170, Surrey 246-6

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 60 & 119-3, Middlesex 199

Division Two

Derby: Glamorgan 521-8 dec, Derbyshire 16-0

Scarborough: Yorkshire 211-3 v Durham

Cheltenham College: Worcestershire 119-5 v Gloucestershire

Five overs safely negotiated by Kent openers Ben Compton and Toby Albert and the visitors will feel it's been a good morning for them after bowling Nottinghamshire out for exactly 350.

Seamer Jas Singh finished with 4-87, while Tom Moores missed out on the chance of a hundred when Matt Quinn had him caught at gully for 94.

Lunch has now been taken at Scarborough.

Not sure when they might resume though, as it sounded like some quite heavy rain.

No doubt a member of the BBC Radio commentary team up there at North Marine Road will let us know at some point, when they've been fed and watered.

Derbyshire openers Harry Came and Luis Reece survive the final eight overs of the morning session - following Glamorgan's declaration on a ground-best 521-8.

A recovery of sorts for Worcestershire after losing their first three men for ducks inside the first six overs after being put in.

But a rallying 77-run stand between Gloucestershire old boy Gareth Roderick and Adam Hose was brought to an end.

Paul van Meekeren bowled Roderick for 53, before an over later Zaman Akhter did the same to Adam Hose for 32.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

Jamie Overton cracks Ben Green away for four in the final over to cap another session in Surrey's favour.

Surrey have tightened their grip on this game, as they added 108 in the session, despite the loss of Tom Latham for 99.

Somerset lost the services of bowling all-rounder Kasey Aldrige, who went off with a side strain.

But, with a batting line-up stretching all the way down to 11, Surrey look to be ideally placed to build a big, and quite possibly decisive, first innings lead. Another 80 or 90 runs and they will really be able to put Somerset under pressure in the third innings.

It's been a bowler's morning again, with six wickets going down and just 46 runs scored.

Nick Gubbins survived an impassioned appeal for caught behind off Sam Cook just before the interval, but he's off the mark with a single and James Vince has nine to his name.

Hampshire have lost both openers, however, and are still 27 behind after bowling Essex out in their first innings for 169.

The session ends with an over of legspin from Alex Russell and the final ball explodes off the pitch outside Luke Wells' off-stump.

That will stay in the minds of both teams through the lunch break.

Lancashire's session though having wrapped up the Northants innings and got through eight overs unscathed.

Postpublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

13:03 BST 26 July 2023

Notts 350 v Kent 7-0

Poor old Ben Slater, fielding in close on the leg side, has taken a nasty whack on the knee after getting in the way of Ben Compton's pull off Luke Fletcher.

Compton is yet to get off the mark, but Kent debutant Toby Albert has opened his account with an eye-catching off-side drive to the boundary.

Warwickshire end a much better morning session than they suffered yesterday.

They have only scored 66 runs but, for the cost of only the wicket of Rob Yates, that has whittled the Middlesex lead back to just 20.

Sam Hain lunches on 31, with Dan Mousley on 32.

Glamoprgan have declared - and stuck Derbyshire in for a few overs before lunch.

Rain stops play at Scarboroughpublished at 12:54 British Summer Time 26 July 2023

12:54 BST 26 July 2023

Yorkshire 211-3 v Durham

Another stoppage for Yorkshire this summer and when they are going nicely as well, Adam Lyth in particular.