Surrey led Essex by 18 points at the top of D1 before the start of the current round
Karun Nair hits century for Northants but Surrey claim three bowling points
Essex's Matt Critchley out for 99 as they declare on 447-9 against Hants
Middlesex's Tim Murtagh takes five wickets in an innings for the 40th time in first-class cricket
Northants will be relegated if either Middlesex or Kent win
No play possible at Old Trafford, Taunton, Worcester, Leicester and Derby
England should be playing a one-day international against Ireland right now, but it is raining at Headingley.
Should you want coverage of that game, if it gets under way later on, you can find it by clicking here.
Not county cricket, but some very exciting news about next year's T20 World Cup (see below).
I once led a cricket away day at work and asked colleagues to imagine that a World Cup had been scheduled for the US and that I was an American who knew nothing about the game.
I asked them to "sell me cricket" and remember someone coming up with the idea of using The Simpsons to promote the tournament and marketing it - to borrow from baseball - as the only game with a 'homer worth six'.
Funny how that could possibly become a reality if the ICC reads this.
New York, Dallas & Florida are revealed as venues for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2024, when the USA will co-host the tournament with West Indies.
Read MoreEssex 447-9 dec v Hampshire - lunch
Nick Gledhill
BBC Essex
Essex opted to extend their first innings for as long as possible rather than risk losing wickets in pursuit of the last two available batting points.
With a declaration at lunch and the probability of little play this afternoon, Hampshire have been left with a target of 298 to avoid the follow on.
Whether they reach that mark could be a significant factor in determining the outcome of the match.
Matt Critchley looked set for his third century of the season but excellent captaincy from James Vince kept him stranded on 99 before eventually forcing the error which brought his dismissal. Simon Harmer and Umesh Yadav then weighed in with fifties as Essex sped past 400.
Theirs will be a buoyant dressing room as they get the update from the Oval, but the rain is likely to frustrate them this afternoon.
Division One
Essex 447-9 dec v Hampshire
Lancashire v Nottinghamshire - no play on day two
Middlesex 121 v Warwickshire 180-6
Somerset 214-2 v Kent - no play before lunch
Surrey v Northamptonshire 306-7
Division Two
Derbyshire v Sussex - no play on day two
Leicestershire v Yorkshire 155-9 - no play before lunch
Worcestershire 104-1 v Durham - no play before lunch
Lancs v Notts - start delayed
Sadly, they've drawn a blank in Manchester for the second successive day.
Rain again this morning means there will be no play on day two and Lancashire and Nottinghamshire will attempt to belatedly get this game under way tomorrow.
Surrey v Northants 306-7
Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator
Tom Taylor turns Jamie Overton into the leg side for one.
Karun Nair plays and misses Overton a couple of times with loose strokes outside off stump but survives the over.
Northants win the session of play convincingly, thanks to a fine partnership between Karun Nair and Tom Taylor, now worth 113 in 24 overs.
A huge change in momentum after a steady grind from the Northants top order on Tuesday morning.
135 runs in the session overall for just one wicket, that of Justin Broad - sensationally caught behind by keeper Ben Foakes off a parry in the slips for 17.
"Very much Northamptonshire's morning."
Middlesex 121 v Warwicks 180-6
It looked as though it was going to be Tim Murtagh's morning when he picked up two early Warwickshire wickets to reduce the visitors to 95-6 and complete a five-wicket haul on his Lord's farewell.
But since then Will Rhodes and Danny Briggs have shared an unbroken partnership of 85 to guide the Bears into a very hand lead of 59 at lunch.
The skipper is 75 not out, while Briggs, on 44, will be eyeing a first half-century of the season.
Essex 447-9 dec v Hampshire
Umesh Yadav holes out off Felix Organ, with Kyle Abbott taking the catch, as a successful morning session for Essex comes to an end.
They have added 137 for the loss of three wickets during the session and the declaration comes with rain forecast this afternoon.
Matt Critchley went for 99 before Yadav (51) added 70 for the eighth wicket in 11 overs with Simon Harmer (62).
They'll be even more happy when they hear the morning's news from The Oval.
Surrey v Northants 305-7
Sorry, not quite the last over before lunch.
The interval has been pushed back to 12.40 because of time lost to rain and bad light on day one.
Karun Nair drives Jordan Clark through point for one and Tom Taylor gets one more, nudged square on the on side.
Essex 444-8 v Hants
An inside edge into a gap at mid-wicket enables Umesh Yadav to come back for two and reach a 43-ball fifty.
A highly entertaining knock by the Indian and we will have an extra over in a session extended by five minutes for time lost on day one.
Middlesex 121 v Warwickshire 167-6
Middlesex will be fairly concerned to see Ryan Higgins leave the field injured with the lunch interval approaching.
The all-rounder, who has been arguably their best performer all season, was rubbing his side repeatedly in between deliveries and he's gone off for treatment.
Lunch has been put back to 12.40 today, helping to make up for time lost on day one. It's been Warwickshire's session, thanks to this unbroken stand between Will Rhodes and Danny Briggs which means they lead by 46.
Surrey v Northants 300-7
Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton
The wind is getting up at the Oval as Karun Nair leaves Jordan Clark outside off stump.
Maiden over.
Jamie Overton will bowl the last over before lunch from the Vauxhall End.
Overton bowls down the leg side and the resulting leg bye takes Northants to 300 and of course a second batting point.
"Riches indeed."
Essex 434-8 v Hants
Umesh Yadav goes for another big hit off Liam Dawson.
He gets underneath it but it has enough legs to clear the rope as Felix Organ, at deep mid-wicket, can't quite complete the catch.
Surrey v Northants 298-7
Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator
"Fantastic innings, at a crucial time for his county as well."
Essex 427-8 v Hants
Simon Harmer tries to go long again but with the wind against his lofted drive falls into the hands of Kyle Abbott at long-on.
A wicket for Felix Organ and the end of a 70-run stand between Harmer and Umesh Yadav.
Essex 426-7 v Hampshire
Umesh Yadav does have a first-class century to his credit.
If he batted like he is today, it must have been an entertaining knock.
Felix Organ drops short and Yadav hammers it over mid-wicket for another maximum.
Surrey v Northants 298-7
Image source, Rex FeaturesDan Worrall tries to tempt Karun Nair with a short ball outside off.
Nair leaves it alone.
Worrall bowls a fuller length outside off and Nair leaves.
There it is! Short and uppercut over the slips for four!
That's the 16th century of his career and his first for Northants.
184 balls and 17 fours.
Superb innings in tough conditions.
Surrey v Northants 294-7
Jordan Clark is back into the attack from the Pavilion End.
Tom Taylor pushes the ball out to cover but there's no single there.
Karun Nair is stuck at the other end with the weather closing in on 99.
The fourth ball is short and smashed away behind square for four.
The next ball is inside edged past the stumps by Tom Taylor, playing a cross batted stroke - and that brings two runs and the 100 partnership in 115 balls.
The ground staff are hovering and we could be off for rain at any moment...
Middlesex 121 v Warwickshire 160-6
You get the feeling this is drifting away from Middlesex at the moment.
Will Rhodes and Danny Briggs have looked relatively untroubled and they're continuing to extend this seventh-wicket partnership, which now stands at 65.
Tim Murtagh is back on for another pre-lunch spell - can the old warhorse, who's already claimed five wickets in this innings, come to Middlesex's rescue again?
Essex 414-7 v Hants
Image source, Rex FeaturesThe Umesh Yadav onslaught continues as he carves Felix Organ over extra cover for four to bring up a 50 partnership with Simon Harmer from just 54 balls.
The flight of the next one is flatter but it makes no difference as Yadav thumps it back over the bowler's head for another boundary.
He has 30 from 31 balls.