Ed Barnard recorded a maiden earlier and he's yet to concede a run off the bat, having just sent down two more.

Warwickshire would no doubt prefer him to take a wicket, but they'll still be pleased to have stifled Middlesex in terms of runs since tea - the home side were rattling along at around four an over prior to the rain.

Here we go.

A slightly later resumption than we had at Lord's, as the cherished fair weather spreads from north London to south.

These are nervous times for the Division One leaders.

They will hope for some stern resistance both from their own lower order and indeed Hampshire's in another crunch game vs their title rivals Essex at Chelmsford.

Northants are at the bottom of the table.

They need to do what may have been considered unthinkable last week and skittle Surrey for a lead north of 200.

Ben Foakes returns to the middle on 17 not out.

Jamie Overton has six and he's facing Ben Sanderson from the Pavilion End.

for Tom Prestpublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 21 September 2023

16:13 BST 21 September 2023

Essex 447-9 dec v Hants 319-8

Image source, Rex Features

He has two 50-over centuries to his credit - and now he has one in the red-ball game too.

Tom Prest thumps the ball back past Simon Harmer for four and then pulls the next to the deep mid-wicket fielder, but one run is enough to take him to three figures from 119 deliveries faced.

In the circumstances, a fantastic innings for his side.

Brett D'Oliveira goes up on his toes and cuts Ben Raine powerfully away for four. He has 23 from 29 balls, with partner Kashif Ali on 14 not out.

We are told that Adam Hose will not be able to resume in this innings after being struck on the wrist by Paul Coughlin earlier in the day.

Rain stops play at Old Traffordpublished at 16:07 British Summer Time 21 September 2023

16:07 BST 21 September 2023

Lancs 225-6 v Notts

Dear me... didn't we have enough of this over the last two days??

Apparently not. Just three overs into the evening session, the rain is back and the players have left the field with Lancashire adding another 15 to their teatime score.

Tom Bailey was starting to enjoy himself just before this stoppage, pulling leg-spinner Calvin Harrison over the rope for six. Bailey's 19 not out, with Matthew Hurst on 35.

Rain has stopped play at Leicester, where Yorkshire are 20-0 in the sixth over of their second innings, 58 runs behind.

Play will resume at Derby at 4.30pm, with Sussex in deep trouble on 90-8 following two days when not a single ball was bowled.

Lord's is currently bathed in sunshine - which seemed unlikely a couple of hours ago - as Olly Hannon-Dalby renews the Warwickshire quest for wickets.

Mark Stoneman plays out a maiden from Hannon-Dalby and in theory we will have another 36 overs tonight.

Kyle Abbott tries to cut Umesh Yadav and a bottom edge flies past leg stump and away for four runs. Abbott is beaten twice in succession by the Indian paceman, who has yet to take a wicket in this innings.

The first two sessions of this match both produced exactly 105 runs and three wickets but, if the third mirrors those, Lancashire will certainly feel it's been their day after being put in.

They're under way again after tea, with Matthew Hurst and Tom Bailey adding three runs apiece to the total in the first couple of overs.

Brett D'Oliveira runs Paul Coughlin down past the slips for four as the Worcestershire total passes 200.

You imagine that having started the game 21 points ahead of Leicestershire, the Pears will not see a draw in this game as a bad result - especially as the Foxes only managed three out of a possible eight bonus points against Yorkshire.

Essex are going to have to bat again so it is imperative that they polish off these two final Hampshire wickets as soon as possible - especially as the BBC commentators fear rain could be on its way.

Tom Prest has a maiden first-class hundred in his sights, but Kyle Abbott is on strike to Umesh Yadav after tea.

No joy yet for Durham at New Road, where Worcestershire are 198-4 in the 53rd over of their rain-affected game.

Yorkshire began their second innings at Leicester 78 behind and are 14-0 in the fourth over - with Finlay Bean and Adam Lyth both one big score away from 1,000 runs for the season.

There will be an inspection at 4.00pm at Derby, where Sussex are 90-8.

Providing there's no more rain of course.

The covers are off and we actually have some sunshine here in south London.

So that's a good start.

Good news from Lord's, where umpires Russell Warren and Graham Lloyd have inspected the pitch and announced play can restart in 15 minutes' time.

That is, of course, assuming, there's no further rain in that time.

In case you are wondering what has been going on in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy semi-final at Beckenham, South East Stars were bowled out for 148 and The Blaze were 15-1 after 3.2 overs in reply when rain stopped play.

We have play at New Road and after an inside edge brings Kashif Ali a lucky four to fine leg, he steers the next ball from Ben Raine past the slips for another to third man.

Brett D'Oliveira is his partner and has yet to open his account.

An even better shot than the one at the start of the over and Tom Prest's second six off Simon Harmer takes Hampshire past 300, earns a second batting point and ensures they will not have to follow-on.

Prest goes in to tea on 91 not out, having put on 89 for the seventh wicket with Keith Barker, who made 42.

Hampshire have looked to take on Harmer, who has five wickets at a cost of 132 runs, and Prest's efforts have ensured that Essex are going to find it hard to achieve the win they need in the four remaining sessions.

Rather like the morning session, it's been pretty much even-stevens this afternoon, with Lancashire doubling their lunchtime total exactly and Nottinghamshire picking up three further wickets.

Steven Croft looked set for a half-century before Calvin Harrison had him neatly caught at short leg, but 19-year-old Matthew Hurst has batted well on his County Championship debut to reach 30 not out.

Tom Bailey has nine and the first target for the Red Rose tail will be to get to 250 and post a batting bonus point.

Postpublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 21 September 2023

15:29 BST 21 September 2023

Essex 447-9 dec v Hants 296-8

The confidence of youth. Tom Prest launches Simon Harmer down the ground for six at the start of a new over.

Just six more needed now by Hampshire to avoid the follow-on and he square cuts to reduce that number by four.

The square is covered and there are pools of water in every single crease of the covers.

Such a shame after a feast of attacking batting this morning and early this afternoon.