Surrey retain County Championship after Northants bowl out Essex for 211
Essex needed to make 400 but lost six wickets in morning session
Essex then bowled out for 119 in second innings to lose by an innings
Surrey close on 112-6 in pursuit of 185 to beat Hampshire
Kent stay up if they match Middlesex's result at Trent Bridge
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Kent 471-9 v Lancashire 327
Matt Quinn clubs one straight to mid-on... No-ball!
Bailey is into his 30th over and that is unusual for the big Lancashire bowler.
But with the extra ball, he gets his man as Quinn edges behind when trying a huge heave! A 49th wicket of the season for Bailey.
Essex 11-4 f/o trail Northants by 147
This is becoming ugly for Essex.
But nothing ugly about the dismissal.
Full ball from Jack White that straightens a smidge.
Matt Critchley goes at it with hard hands and nicks a catch low to second slip where Emilio Gay takes a very smart catch.
Kent 466-8 v Lancashire 327
Tom Hartley is twirling away but he is actually wearing a shirt with 'Jennings' on the back.
Someone must have forgotten his Lancashire kit, arriving as he did via Bristol from England duty.
Aron Nijjar and Matt Quinn are going nicely, with a couple of lusty blows from Quinn in Tom Bailey's previous over.
Hants 219 & 82-3 v Surrey 209
Surrey would have dined very merrily indeed at lunch, having been confirmed as champions.
And they have a breakthrough from Cameron Steel's leg spin.
He sees Nick Gubbins advancing, drops one shorter, it turns past the batsman's pads and it's an easy stumping for Ben Foakes.
Nottinghamshire 220-3 v Middlesex 366
Another reverse sweep from Matthew Montgomery gets him four off Jayant Yadav.
That is a half-century stand between him and Ben Slater, which is a further dagger into Middlesex's hopes.
Essex 7-3 f/o trail Northants by 151
The last remaining energy might have left Essex now.
Tom Westley goes to force Jack White off the back foot and toe-ends a low catch to extra-cover.
Huge trouble for the visitors.
Nottinghamshire 207-3 v Middlesex 366
Matthew Montgomery gets a two and then a lovely four off de Caires' over.
It is going to be Jayant Yadav to resume at the other end.
Essex 7-2 f/o trail Northants by 151
Image source, Getty ImagesAlastair Cook is gone!
He props forward to a full ball from Ben Sanderson that holds its line enough to find a thin edge to the wicketkeeper.
Cook walks straight off - and maybe that is a truly great career finished.
Nottinghamshire 201-3 v Middlesex 366
Image source, Rex FeaturesMiddlesex to open with Josh de Caires after lunch.
He was surprisingly not used this morning and as regular followers of the live texts will tell you, de Caires has shown a knack for making things happen in recent weeks.
Can he do it again?
Essex 6-1 f/o trail Northants by 152
Alastair Cook is off the mark in what could well be his final innings as a professional.
He managed only six in the first innings - can he produce a glorious final act?
Essex with it all to do if they're not going to end the season with a whimper.
Kent 453-8 v Lancashire 327
Kent have resumed after lunch by picking up two singles, both to Aron Nijjar.
He then unfurls a lovely drive off Tom Hartley to get four and bring up the team's 450.
The lead is 126 and expect Kent to bat until these last two wickets fall rather than declare.
Play will be resuming after lunch shortly.
With the title wrapped up, plenty of focus will now be on Trent Bridge and Canterbury where Middlesex and Kent are both battling to avoid relegation.
Northants 369 v Essex 211 & 0-1 (f/o)
Don Topley
BBC Essex
It wasn’t to be, sadly for Essex. With all the enthusiasm available in late September, Essex could not offer much to challenge Surrey for the 2023 County Championship.
Needing a first-innings total of 400 Essex found the Northants bowling too good as batsmen fell regularly throughout the morning session.
Paul Walter went in the second over driving ambitiously, whilst top scorer, Tom Westley looked in good order before being hit on the bottom hand, but it was left to the ebullient Umesh Yadav to use the ‘long handle’ to get Essex to 211 all out. Essex were asked to follow on.
The question now on everyone’s lips… As Alastair Cook marches out to bat, will this be the England and Essex great’s last ever professional innings? Cook is 0 not out at lunch.
Image source, Getty ImagesWarwickshire 225-6 v Somerset 215
Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset
Somerset looked to be bowling themselves to a first innings lead when Neil Wagner had Michael Burgess caught behind to leave Warwickshire on 147-6.
But that was as good as it got for the visitors, as Ed Barnard and Danny Briggs progressed serenely to lunch, their partnership already worth 78, with power to add.
Barnard completed his second 50 of the first-class season. Good to see the crowd being allowed onto the outfield in the lunch interval.
Day three
Division One
Hants 219 & 67-2 v Surrey 207
Kent 447-8 v Lancs 327
Northants 369 v Essex 211 & 0-1 (f/o)
Notts 201-3 v Middlesex 366
Warwickshire 225-6 v Somerset 215
Division Two
Durham 457-8 dec v Leics 96-6 - play to start at 13:30 BST
Glamorgan 143-2 v Derbyshire 450-8 dec
Sussex 202 & 352-4 v Gloucs 195
Yorkshire 93-4 v Worcs 389
Glamorgan 143-2 v Derbyshire 450-8 dec - lunch, day three
Nick Webb
BBC Radio Wales
The batters’ dominance is continuing in Cardiff where Glamorgan have gone a decent way towards the follow-on figure of 301 thanks to contrasting 50s from Zain ul Hasaan and Colin Ingram.
Ul Hassan’s first senior 50 came against Derbyshire and so has his second, as he built patiently before top-edging Pat Brown for six over fine leg to reach the landmark off 102 balls.
Eddie Byrom was even more cautious with 11 off 69 balls before driving Zak Chappell to Anuj Dal at point, but Ingram provided a rapid increase in the scoring-rate as he drove, pulled and late-cut a range of boundaries.
Derbyshire off-spinner Alex Thomson got some turn and Ingram was dropped at slip on his way to a rapid half-century, but Ul Hassan was cramped on the back foot and bowled by Thomson for 65.
Kent 447-8 v Lancashire 327 - lunch, day three
Ben Watts
BBC Radio Kent
A lead of 120 for Kent at lunch. A decent morning for the hosts despite a mini-Lancashire fightback.
Joe Denly was eventually out for 136 having saved his best knock of the season for when it matters most.
He put on 150 with Harry Finch, who made 44, and Kent will be encouraged by the turn Tom Hartley produced to bowl Joey Evison (12) having come into the game as a substitute for Will Williams.
Nottinghamshire 201-3 v Middlesex 366
Not a good morning for Middlesex. The solitary wicket for Jayant Yadav and 109 runs conceded with Ben Slater 17 shy of a ton.
That smacks of relegation, with Kent miles ahead against Lancashire.
Something drastic needs to go in their favour after lunch.
Essex 0-1 f/o trail Northants by 158
And Ben Sanderson strikes with the last ball of the first over!
Round the wicket, nips back, Nick Browne shoulders arms and loses his off stump.
It is now lunch at Wantage Road.
Nottinghamshire 199-3 v Middlesex 366
Sam Robson is hit for two fours by Matthew Montgomery, but still Middlesex persist with his leg-breaks.
He switches to round the wicket and his over is spoiled by a delivery that spins and beats everyone which is given as five wides.
Then Montgomery successfully reverse sweeps for four more.