Josh Baker gets a couple to take the score up past 300. He is now on 62, which is a career-best score for him.

At the other end, Brett D'Oliveira has 66 and their partnership is now worth 119.

From 182-7, this is good stuff from Worcestershire.

Harry Finch is up and running for Kent, clipping Brett Hutton off his pads to the boundary and then driving him through the covers for four more later in the over.

Finch has nine so far, with Jack Leaning on 21 and Kent have added 21 to their total this morning for the loss of Ben Geddes.

Nice progress again for the Derbyshire openers this morning with Luis Reece on 67 and opening partner Harry Came on 42.

However, they still trail by a mammoth 406 runs.

Nick Gubbins is the last man to go, bowled for 45 taking a swing at Sam Cook - who finishes with figures of 3-43.

Jamie Porter takes 5-46 and match figures of 10-85 and Essex will feel confident after whipping out those last four Hampshire wickets in just 4.1 overs this morning.

The visitors need 83 to complete their fifth straight Championship win...

Image source, Rex Features

That's five in the innings for Jamie Porter - and 10 in the match, the third time the Essex seamer has achieved that in his first-class career.

John Turner is the man who provides Porter with his latest wicket, edging to second slip where Simon Harmer does the honours again.

It's only 15 minutes late - but they are off and running for the day at Edgbaston.

100.3 overs to come today, starting with the uncompleted Ryan Higgins over from the night before.

Rain stops play at Tauntonpublished at 11:05 British Summer Time 27 July 2023

11:05 BST 27 July 2023

Somerset 170 & 0-0 v Surrey 368

An Australian has ball in hand and we have play.

Dan Worrall bowls four dot balls, but wait, what is that thing falling out of the sky?

Yes, you know the rest...

Start delayed in Scarboroughpublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 27 July 2023

11:03 BST 27 July 2023

Yorkshire 340 v Durham 106-1

The match at Scarborough should be one of the highlights of the Yorkshire county season but for the third day running, we have a rain interruption.

There will be an inspection at 11:30 BST to see when play can begin.

Image source, Rex Features

Tom Latham and Will Jacks may have walked off disappointed after both batters fell for 99, but their combined efforts have put Surrey in a very strong position.

Add two 99s together and you get 198 - the exact lead that the Champions have at halfway.

Somerset have a huge task to get back into this contest and given that Surrey chased over 500 to beat Kent earlier this summer, they face a very difficult task over the last two days to escape with a draw.

Image source, Rex Features

Whatever happens at Edgbaston today, it will be 11:15 at the earliest, if the outfield passes an inspection by umpires Rob Bailey and Hassan Adnan.

But Warwickshire are confiden that, following the 22-wicket whirlwind of the first day, that the pitch is now a better one to bat on.

This track had originally been chosen for last week's home game with Lancashire, only to be affected by the rain that fell over Finals Day weekend - and the Finals Day pitch was used again.

But, following his half-century on day two, Bears bat Dan Mousley told BBC Radio WM: "The pitch has had three heavy rollers on it now and has definitely got flatter but there is still enough there for the bowlers.

"Ethan Bamber bowled a few that you're not hitting with two bats so it's just getting through that and keeping out what you can and then scoring when the opportunity arises.

"There's definitely enough there with our bowling attack so if we can put a decent target on the board hopefully we can come away with a win."

Image source, Rex Features

Hovering dangerously above the bottom two, Kent will be anxious not to leave Trent Bridge empty-handed and have made a solid start replying to Nottinghamshire’s first-innings total of 350.

Ben Geddes, making his debut on loan from Surrey, is still at the crease on 36 after sharing a half-century partnership for the second wicket with another loanee, Hampshire opener Toby Albert.

Geddes and his captain Jack Leaning will aim to build quickly on Kent’s overnight score of 102-2 and begin picking up some valuable batting bonus points during the afternoon.

Notts could do with Luke Fletcher fit and firing this morning – the experienced seamer was the pick of their attack on day two, taking 1-7 in 9.2 overs before limping off the field.

Image source, Rex Features

Nick Gubbins could hold the key for Hampshire as they fight to hold off fellow title contenders Essex in tricky batting conditions at the Ageas Bowl.

Gubbins battled his way to an unbeaten 44 on day two – the highest score of the match so far – to take the home side to 122-6 in their second innings, a lead of 73.

James Fuller has already helped the left-hander to add 32 and, if Hampshire can stretch their advantage by another 50-60, they may have a chance of defending it on a surface that’s remained largely bowler-friendly.

However, Essex go into the third day as favourites to clinch a fifth straight victory with Jamie Porter, who already has 3-42 in this second innings, eyeing the possibility of a 10-wicket match haul.

Image source, BBC Sport

Who would have thought? Rain in Manchester.

Overnight rain which carried on into this morning means that there will be no play before lunch at Old Trafford.

There is plenty of surface water on the covers, so the groundstaff will have to get busy when the rain relents.

And with Lancashire trailing by 221 runs in their first innings, the possibility of a win for either team lessens that bit further.

Division One

Southampton: Hampshire 120 & 122-6, Essex 169

Manchester: Northamptonshire 342, Lancashire 121-1

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 350, Kent 102-2

Taunton: Somerset 170, Surrey 368

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 60 & 189-4, Middlesex 199

Division Two

Derby: Glamorgan 521-8 dec, Derbyshire 95-0

Scarborough: Yorkshire 340, Durham 106-1

Cheltenham College: Worcestershire 265-7 v Gloucestershire (day two)