County Championship day three as it happened - Vilas hits ton

1. Use audio icons at top of the page to listen to BBC local radio commentaries
2. Dane Vilas hits 124 and Luke Wells 97 as Lancashire build a big lead against Middlesex.
3. Nottinghamshire close on 177-5 after following on against Kent at Canterbury.
4. No play possible on day three at Edgbaston between Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
5. Sussex declare on 344-9. Leicestershire close on 221-3, chasing 499 to win.
6. Glamorgan close on 120-2 after following on against Yorkshire in Cardiff.
7. Derbyshire close on 398-9 in reply to Gloucestershire's 377 at rain-hit Bristol.

That's All Folks

Well then, what about that? It has taken until September but that was virtually a six o'clock finish to the day's play.

Admittedly, it rather helped that those perennial late finishers Warwickshire were rained off for the day in late afternoon.

And we have had 'weather' of some sort at all the other five games.

But it has all set up some interesting questions for the final day.

Getty Images

Dane Vilas hit his 25th first-class century, his first of the season and his 10th for Lancashire

After that Dane Vilas ton and 97 from Luke Wells, can Middlesex survive the day against Lancashire at Old Trafford?

Can Kent take the last five Notts wickets cheaply enough to force victory at Canterbury?

And have Northants got any hope of a result at Edgbaston?

Equally, in Division Two, can Leicestershire, who have already enjoyed one great run chase this season, move on from 221-3 to amass the 278 further runs they need to beat Sussex at Hove?

Can Yorkshire take the last eight Glamorgan wickets to win in Cardiff?

And does anyone care what happens at Bristol?

Close of play scoreboard

Canterbury: Kent 446, Nottinghamshire 265 & 177-5

Old Trafford: Middlesex 194, Lancashire 330-5

Edgbaston: Northamptonshire 250, Warwickshire 142-4 (No play today)

Division Two

Cardiff: Yorkshire 500, Glamorgan 273 & 120-2

Bristol: Gloucestershire 377, Derbyshire 398-8

Hove: Sussex 262 & 344-9 dec, Leicestershire 108 & 221-3

Close of play in Canterbury

Lyndon James blocks out the last over of the day's play - and it really is the last over this time.

A vital sixth-wicket stand between James and Joe Clarke, rescuing the Notts innings from the depths of 78-5, more than 100 in arrears.

All five second-innings wickets were shared by Michael Hogan and Joey Evison.

This stand is now worth 99 runs and the gap is down to just four runs.

Still a precarious position of course, but Kent have been dragged into a fourth day.

They'll look to wrap up this game and keep the pressure on Middlesex and Northants in the relegation zone of Division One.

Close of play in Cardiff

It is now officially over for the day at Sophia Gardens.

Yorkshire will have to return tomorrow to pick up the eight wickets they need to claim a second staight Championship victory.

Glamorgan need a further 107 runs to make the Tykes bat again, with eight wickets remaining - and Eddie Byrom (52) and Sam Northeast (45) looking in nick.

Close of play at Old Trafford

Confirmation, if it were needed, that play is over for the day in Manchester.

That extra half an hour was to make up for time lost to rain earlier today.

That's the official explanation.

Three runs come from Aron Nijjar's latest over.

Clarke gets a full length ball from Joey Evison and drives the ball straight into the stumps at the on-striker's end.

Lyndon James, dives into his crease, tumbling to the deck and recovers to make his ground.

Is that it? No, one more.

Bad light stops play in Cardiff

With five overs left to bowl, they have come off at Sophia Gardens.

Umpires Mark Newell and Peter Hartley remain out in the middle.

And the covers have not yet come on.

But that is likely to be the end of proceedings for the day in the Welsh capital.

Dave Bracegirdle

BBC Radio Nottingham commentator

"I think both sides would've been happy not to have had this half hour..."

Lyndon James is defending outside the off stump against Aron Nijjar.

He gets a single off the fifth ball and Joe Clarke defends.

Joey Evison bounces Clarke - and that's a no ball for height.

The Kent announcer has indeed confirmed that play will continue until 6 o'clock tonight.

So that's settled then.

Close of play at Hove

A fantastic final session for Leicestershire - 108 runs scored and no wickets down.

Colin Ackermann will resume tomorrow on 102 and Umar Amin on 61 as they chase 278 more runs for victory.

From 16-2, this is an excellent fightback from the Foxes.

Sussex need seven wickets and know there is still plenty of work left to do to achieve the victory they crave.

Eight overs left in Cardiff

Still no further breakthrough for Yorkshire at Sophia Gardens.

And now only eight overs left in the day, which is time added on from the lost half hour earlier.

The spinners are on because of the dark clouds overhead. And Eddie Byrom has now gone to his half-century on 51, with Sam Northeast on 45

Joe Clarke forces Evison away off the back foot for four runs to move on to 57.

Apparently we are staying on for half an hour to make up for time lost earlier in the day.

Rain stops play at Old Trafford

The rain has reappeared in Manchester, the players are coming off and the covers are going on.

That could it for day three here.

for Umar Amin

A first Foxes half-century for the Pakistan batter.

Umar Amin pulls one through the legside for four from Henry Crocombe to get to 53 and then steers one to an empty third man area for four more.

This stand with Colin Ackermann is now worth 107.

Well... we thought that was the last over of the day. It isn't.

Joey Evison will bowl to Lyndon James.

50 for Joe Clarke

Joe Clarke is forward to block the first two.

A packed off side field and Nijjar pushes the ball out wide.

He's got it off the fifth ball, via a full toss, smashed through mid wicket for his seventh four.

His seventh 50 of the season - and at the business end of the campaign, certainly one of the most important as Notts bid to stay out of the drop zone in Division One.

This one comes off 130 balls.

We're down to the last over of day three.

Aron Nijjar will bowl to Lyndon James, who gets one with a cut to backward point.

Joe Clarke faces on 49.

WICKET Vilas lbw b Bamber 124

The end for Dane Vilas!

He steps across to work Ethan Bamber through leg, but he misses it and is trapped in front.

Vilas takes the acclaim of his team-mates and the small, but loyal, crowd inside Old Trafford as he heads back to the dressing room.

A great knock from the South African and a fitting way to mark his final few weeks at Lancashire.

Close of play at Bristol

The conditions didn't look promising from teatime onwards so this is no surprise.

A near dead cert for a draw tomorrow.

Foxes looking to repeat Headingley chase

Leicestershire bring up their 200 - they only need 299 more to win!

However, they began the season by chasing down 389 to beat Yorkshire by three wickets at Headingley.

So they have previous for mammoth chases - it may be coming into Sussex's mind as this partnership builds.