Exhibition cricket at New Road with Durham now 330-3 - 18 ahead - against Worcestershire. Scott Borthwick is 131 not out and Ollie Robinson has 76.

Sussex are 83-3 against Derbyshire, only 46 behind, after Tom Clark plays out a Pat Brown maiden.

It is still raining at Leicester, and you would think the umpires will soon decide enough is enough. Yorkshire are 225-4.

First over of the innings for Umesh Yadav.

This is why Essex signed the India pace bowler - to deliver in situations like this.

Liam Dawson takes a couple to mid-wicket, then square cuts for four.

No major alarms in that one.

The final session of the summer at Lord's is underway.

Sam Robson has 103* with Tom Helm on two from 28 balls.

They lead by 47 but with 35 overs to come, weather permitting, if they lose these last three wickets quickly they are in trouble.

41 overs for Kent to negotiate.

Lewis Gregory and Jack Brooks will take the new ball and if they start anything like the did this morning then Kent are in trouble.

"The weather isn't as good as it was earlier," says BBC Essex's Nick Gledhill. "There's a bit of a build-up of cloud."

Simon Harmer bowls the first over after tea to James Vince.

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There is only one round of matches left in this season's County Championship - here is the full list of matches:

Division One

Ageas Bowl: Hampshire v Surrey

Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Essex

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Middlesex

Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset

Division Two

Chester LS: Durham v Leicestershire

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Derbyshire

Hove: Sussex v Gloucestershire

Headingley: Yorkshire v Worcestershire

Derbyshire declared at their lunchtime score in the hope of bowling out Sussex cheaply for their first Championship win of the season.

But they have met with stiffer resistance and the visitors only need 48 more to avoid an innings defeat - which would be only their second of the campaign.

Tom Clark is 36 not out at tea, with Dan Ibrahim on five.

A dominant afternoon session for Durham at New Road after Worcestershire picked up a bowling point with the dismissal of David Bedingham.

Scott Borthwick and Ollie Robinson have added 143 for the fourth wicket - with Borthwick hitting 24 fours in his 130 not out, his second century of the season.

Robinson has 70 from 54 balls so far, but Worcestershire can take comfort from the match situation at Leicester.

A little bit of 'professionalism' by the Hampshire batters ensures that Matt Critchley's over is the last one before tea.

They need another 178 to win from 39 overs - Essex need six wickets.

Dan Lawrence hit 53 off 49 balls before the home side declared 266 runs ahead - and Simon Harmer took three wickets in the space of nine balls to pile the pressure on the visitors.

Victory for Essex could put them right on the shoulders of leaders Surrey ahead of next week's final games.

Northants shoulders are slumped as they walk off for tea. They know they're doomed.

It just didn't happen for them with the new ball. They bowled fairly well, beat the bat, had several lbw appeals turned down but simply couldn't find a wicket to get into this second innings.

The class of Rory Burns, 58 not out, and Dom Sibley, 29, has then totally shut the game down.

36 overs remain but, barring a dramatic collapse straight after tea, there will be handshakes before the final hour in SE11.

Northants on the cusp of relegation.

Image source, Rex Features

What a tense final session in store at the Home of Cricket.

Sam Robson has made a defiant century and, supported by Ryan Higgins, hauled Middlesex into a lead of 47 at the interval. Tom Helm has scored two from 28 deliveries.

However 35 overs remain after tea and only three wickets are standing. Rain is expected in the next couple of hours.

This one is going to keep the pulse racing until the very end, surely.

Liam Dawson sweeps Simon Harmer for four.

Essex summon Matt Critchley to bowl the next one, so it will be spin from both ends.

Worcestershire decided to give Kashif Ali an over.

Scott Borthwick pulls his first two balls for four and Ollie Robinson ends it with another.

That's a second batting point for the Division Two champions.

for Rory Burnspublished at 15:02 British Summer Time 22 September 2023

15:02 BST 22 September 2023

Surrey 79-0 f/o trail Northants by 93

The skipper is leading his side to safety here - and five valuable points in the title race.

Forced to really battle earlier against the new ball that swung and seamed around, he also survived at least two jolly close lbw shouts.

But he runs one down to third man for three to raise fifty in 148 balls with six fours.

Dom Sibley is still with him on 23 and Surrey have another 38 overs to survive.

Rinse and repeat for Michael Hogan who cracks Neil Wagner for another four through the covers and then Arafat smears Tom Abell away for another two boundaries in the next over.

30 short of a batting point and 34 shy of the follow-on target. The deficit is 184 with 43 overs remaining.

Another over ticks by, with three singles added to the Hampshire total off Simon Harmer.

There are 42 remaining in the day's play and it's getting pretty tense out there.

This result could be the different between Essex trailing Surrey by five points or 15 ahead of the final round of matches.

(That's assuming Surrey don't suddenly collapse against Northants)

Lancashire sign Shropshire-born Worcestershire fast bowler Mitchell Stanley for the 2024 season.