James Fuller is really putting in a shift for Hampshire here, as he hurries Ryan Patel with one that jags off the seam and strikes the batter on the pad.

Not out.

A play and a miss outside off as Patel is stuck on the crease with a loose swish off the back foot.

A rare short ball from Mohammad Abbas at the other end as Ryan Patel plays and misses a pull shot.

A play and miss outside off to end the over, as the ball swings late and Ben Brown dives at full stretch at first slip to field the ball.

up for Middlesexpublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 27 September 2023

11:12 BST 27 September 2023

Notts v Middlesex 201-4

Fascinating insight from BBC Radio London's Kevin Hand. He reports that Middlesex are staying in a hotel in Nottingham which is adjacent to a student nightclub.

Apparently the music was blaring until 3am this morning and the venue is scheduled to be open every evening week as it is Freshers Week...

That'll be music to Kent fans' ears, I'm sure.

Middlesex are within 49 of a bonus point and Stephen Eskinazi has joined Ryan Higgins in producing a season's best knock when it matters the most... He has 44. Higgins is on 78.

Image source, Rex Features

Stephen Eskinazi is clearly not suffering the ill-effects of that whack on the helmet yesterday, he's timed this one absolutely supremely to guide Jake Ball's wide delivery to the fence to move to 42.

Ryan Higgins is continuing his fine form by moving to a season's best 77 - he leads the scoring and averages for his side this season. One to consider in your team of the year, for sure.

That first batting bonus point is only 51 runs away - they have 60 overs to pile on the runs.

Somerset's remarkable recovery at Edgbaston has continued this morning. They're now 211-8 against Warwickshire, having been 96-8 after tea on day one.

New Zealand paceman Neil Wagner is starring with the bat at number 10 for the visitors - he's 71 not out off 71 balls and Josh Davey has 42.

In Division Two bad light stopped play after 10 minutes between Glamorgan and Derbyshire. Derbyshire lost Leus du Plooy but are still well placed on 316-3.

Sussex look set for a first-innings lead over Gloucestershire at Hove. The hosts have picked up a couple of early wickets to leave them 158-8 and still trailing by 44.

Durham batter David Bedingham has been dismissed for 156 by Leicestershire seamer Tom Scriven but the champions are still in command on 443-7.

This is quite a grind for the Division One leaders, who have managed only eight runs in the first half hour of play.

But they only need a draw here to win the title.

Sai Sudharsan is forward to defend- against James Fuller.

Tom Bailey has it on a string in the early stages at Canterbury. He's found the edge of Ben Compton's blade a couple of times already but the Kent opener got away with it on each occasion.

Tawanda Muyeye is on eight after a couple of boundaries and 17 dot balls while Compton has clawed his way to five from 23.

Kent know every point is precious so the number at the forefront of their minds wlll be 250 - the first batting bonus point.

After a rather nervous 11-ball wait, there it is...

A second batting bonus point, brought up by Josh Baker, means Worcestershire will play Division One cricket next season, finishing as runners-up to Durham.

The Pears were last promoted six years ago to the day. Another proud day for the club.

Great cheers from the balcony and sporting applause from the Yorkshire players. A nice moment.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

David Bedingham has just passed 1,000 runs for the season for a second time. He made 1,029 in 2021. He currently has 155 and reached the 150 with an all-run four.

It's his fifth century of this season, which matches the total of hundreds by Durham opener Alex Lees.

In June, Bedingham made 145 in a high-scoring draw at Grace Road, so Leicestershire will be sick of the sight of him by now!

In terms of championship centuries this is a record year for Durham. They have scored 21 so far. Their best year in terms of all centuries was the 2011 season when they recorded 22, but two of those were against Durham University and one against Sri Lanka A.

Incidentally Vishwa Fernando played for Sri Lanka in that one. He's playing for Durham today.

Justin Broad is back and across to Umesh Yadav, driving the bowler through cover off the back foot for four.

Now Northants are a stroke away from a second batting point.

They only had seven overall at the end of the penultimate round.

Rob Keogh moves to his highest ever score in first-class cricket at home with a pull to leg off a short deliver bowled by Jamie Porter for two.

He's on 164.

A beautiful Keogh on drive beats mid on and takes Northants to 300.

That's back to back scores of 300 or more for the club, who will rue not being able to get them earlier in the season.

Floodlights are on.

Ryan Patel survives an appeal for caught down the leg side off James Fuller and batting looks like a tricky occupation here at Southampton.

Mohammad Abbas is bowling a very tight line on off stump at the other end.

There are a few concerns about the progress of storm Agnes in the west, but she's not here just yet.

Surrey reach the innings 50 with a front foot deflection to long leg off the blade of Ryan Patel.

A bright start for Rob Keogh, who scores his first runs of day two off the first ball with a back foot drive through cover for four off Umesh Yadav.

It's blustery and overcast here at Wantage Road, but no rain expected this morning.

Jamie Porter bowls outside off to Justin Broad, who leaves.

for Brett D'Olivierapublished at 10:40 British Summer Time 27 September 2023

10:40 BST 27 September 2023

Yorkshire v Worcestershire 297-5

A fine innings from the skipper. What a precious knock, given the fact they were 67-4 at one point.

He brings it up with back to back fours off Matt Milnes, his 15th and 16th boundaries in a 199-ball stay.

Three more runs required for an even more important milestone...

Just the one run from James Fuller's over.

Mohammad Abbas will resume from the Hotel End with two slips and a backward point.

He gets a little bit of shape away from the bat of Sai Sudharsan, who is forward to defend.

Good over. Maiden.

The Pears had 30 overs to score 20 runs to ensure promotion. They have taken seven off the opening over of the day from Ben Coad.

13 more required to ensure promotion.

Essex need everything to go their way today to eclipse Surrey in the title race - and not all factors are within their control.

Maximum bowling points, maximum batting points, a win here and a Surrey defeat at Southampton are all needed.

First, the Essex attack need to find a way past Rob Keogh, leading run scorer of the season for Northants, on 154 not out.

Northants are already relegated to Division Two, but the home supporters will hope for the tonic of a few more runs from Keogh this morning, after a pretty barren season.

He resumes with Justin Broad, who has 17.

Jamie Porter will start the session from the David Capel End, bowling to Justin Broad.

Players head out to the middle at Canterbury as Kent begin their reply to Lancashire's 327.

The openers are Tawanda Muyeye and... Ben Compton. No sign of Zak Crawley at the ground this morning, despite the early end of England's ODI with Ireland at Bristol yesterday.

There was a lot of talk of the England skipper (this week at least) being drafted into the Kent XI, with Tom Hartley doing likewise for Lancs, but it seems neither will do so on day two at least... one to revisit tomorrow morning, perhaps.

Tom Bailey takes the new ball for the visitors.