County Championship day four as it happened

1. England's Harry Brook scores 100 not out off 69 balls for Yorkshire in draw against Leicestershire
2. Sam Cook takes 6-14 as Essex dismiss Notts for 80 to win by 254 runs at Trent Bridge
3. Ryan Higgins scores 221 for Middlesex against Glamorgan
4. Sussex bid for unlikely win over Northants ended by bad light

Goodbye for now!

Rex Features

It's certainly been an eventful first round of matches in the County Championship season, but there has only been one victorious side.

Essex's bowlers were on top form to earn an impressive win against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

We saw records galore at Lord's, a welcome return to action for Yorkshire centurion Harry Brook, and a little bit of rain...

Make sure you join us again for live text and radio coverage of the next round of games, which start on Friday.

'It could have been an exciting finish'

Andrew Radd

BBC Radio Northampton

It's a shame because it could have been an exciting finish but as it is it's been a terrific day's cricket.

A decent haul for both teams but Sussex have really bossed this game since tea yesterday, they had a good chance to force the win today but it all depended on the weather and I'm afraid the weather was not about to play ball.

County Championship final scorecard

Division One:

• Durham v Hampshire - match abandoned without a ball being bowled
• Kent 284 & 290-4 v Somerset 403 - match drawn
• Lancashire 202 v Surrey 15-0 - match drawn
• Essex (253 & 374-9 dec) beat Nottinghamshire (293 & 80) by 254 runs
• Warwickshire 333 v Worcestershire 360 & 295-3 - match drawn

Division Two:

• Derbyshire v Gloucestershire - match abandoned without a ball being bowled
• Middlesex 655 v Glamorgan 620-3 dec & 31-2 - match drawn
• Sussex 478-9 dec v Northamptonshire 371 & 170-9 - match drawn
• Yorkshire 264-6 dec v Leicestershire 354 & 26-0 - match drawn

BreakingSussex draw with Northants

The light has not improved and this game ends in a frustrating but at times dramatic stalemate.

Northants looked to have built up a competitive total on first innings when the wicket of Tom Haines left Sussex tottering on 258-6, trailing by 113.

But what must be one of the strongest tails in the division fought back with aplomb with a further 220 runs added after that dismissal in quick order, earning a lead of 107.

Jayden Seales struck in his first over and but for the combined total of 96 runs provided by Luke Procter (41) and Rob Keogh's 55, Northants may have been heading for a last day defeat.

But Lewis McManus held firm for an unbeaten 13 off 45 balls and the poor light limited the availability of the Sussex fast bowlers at a critical time in the match.

Sussex take 15 points from this game and sit at the top of Division Two after one round of matches.

'Procter had a very good game'

Andrew Radd

BBC Radio Northampton

From Northamptonshire's point of view, I think you have to say Luke Procter would be on for your three points at the moment, he's had a very good game.

And Rob Keogh has played nicely today.

'There have been some terrific performances from Sussex'

Andrew Radd

BBC Radio Northampton

From a Sussex point of view, there have been some terrific performances, that century from Tom Haines has been slightly overlooked because of what's happened since.

That wonderful batting from Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Danny Lamb, Jack Carson and Ollie Robinson today, but Haines laid the foundations with that century.

Jayden Seales has made a very promising debut.

'I fear that we may not get back on'

Adrian Harms

BBC Sussex

I fear that we may not get back on here.

It's been a terrific day's cricket, with Sussex this morning really going about their business in a very positive way.

'Very gloomy at Hove'

Adrian Harms

BBC Sussex

Very gloomy at Hove - those are car headlights on at the Cromwell Road End.

Adrian Harms

'The ground staff are making their way down to where the covers are'

Adrian Harms

BBC Sussex

Slightly worryingly, the ground staff are making their way down to this end of the ground, which is where the covers are and they don't usually do that unless there is rain around.

Bad light stops play at Hove

It looks murky in Hove now and at this point the "overs remaining" tally is starting to shrink.

A great day's cricket nonetheless with 127 runs added in 19 overs by the Sussex lower order.

Then the bowlers made short work of much of the Northants batting after Luke Procter (133 runs in the match) and Rob Keogh (55 in this innings) were prized out.

Congratulations to James Coles for his six wickets in the match.

Sussex look very, very competitive and must surely be among the contenders to go up a division.

'The two umpires have had pretty good games'

Andrew Radd

BBC Radio Northampton

The umpires are staying out there with the ground staff and it probably not a bad moment to say that the two umpires have had pretty good games in terms of decisions but I think their willingness to play as much as is possible given the conditions and the requirements to be fair to both sides I think they've got the game on when possible.

They've only come off when it really is no longer fit.

This sort of game is just not easy, for anyone that has done any umpiring at any level will know, even at a club match it's difficult when you've got the light not great and with rain around.

And also, the job the ground staff did to actually get us any play on the first day.

'He just wants to play cricket with his mates again'

Rex Features

Earlier today, Harry Brook scored an unbeaten century off 69 balls for Yorkshire in their draw against Leicestershire.

It was England batter Brook's first competitive innings since December - he pulled out of England's Test tour of India and the Indian Premier League following the death of his grandmother.

Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson said: "A lot of the communication was from him. We’ve put no pressure on him to play. 'You go at your own pace with regards to when you come in here at Headingley'.

"To be fair, he's been coming in and has been having lots of nets. At a time like this, he's been wanting to be around people he's comfortable. One of the conversations that we've had is that he just wants to play cricket with his mates again. He's got a lot of mates in the dressing room, they've played a lot of cricket together and grown up through the age-groups.

"This is his comfort in a difficult time. We are the benefactors of that, and we are very grateful to have him. I think we'll enjoy watching him bat for the next four games if he carries on batting the way he is."

Gibson also confirmed that Brook's England team-mate Joe Root will be in the line-up to face Gloucestershire in Bristol, starting on Friday.

Bad light stops play at Hove

And we're off. Brighter skies to the west but there could be more gloomy skies coming in shortly.

Very frustrating for Sussex after a superb lower order fightback with the bat on first innings, aggressive bowling - and imaginative field settings from the new Sussex captain.

A draw looks more likely than it did an hour ago but Sussex have bossed this game today.

The umpires are staying in the middle with the ground staff for now.

Don't rule out a resumption just yet.

'The light has definitely got worse'

Adrian Harms

BBC Sussex

The light has definitely got worse again.

This is really good captaincy by John Simpson, he's trying to juggle taking a wicket by looking at the conditions.

The umpires are taking a light meter reading...

The umpires have had a chat and we're playing on. For now.

Tremain gets a little leading edge but the ball lands safely.

Two slips, a silly point and a forward short leg crowd around the bat.

A tense maiden over.

Jayden Seales is out of the attack and spinner Jack Carson is back in.

Sussex keeper and captain John Simpson is ringing the changes in fading light.

A forward and backward short leg and a leg slip come in for McManus, who blocks on the back foot.

The last ball is pushed defensively into the off side on the front foot.

Maiden over.

'The statisticians would have absolutely adored this match'

Guy Swindells

BBC Radio London

I think one or two talking points have emerged - the Kookaburra ball for instance, none of the seamers seem to enjoy those very much after the first 15 overs and maybe they'll have to learn to counteract that.

We did have some extraordinary performances - Sam Northeast, who in this match has scored 335 not out and 14 not out after his 166 not out in his final innings of last season. so what an amazing run he's on. That 335 in the first innings is the highest ever individual score by a player Lord's, beating Graham Gooch's 333 for England against India in 1990.

Middlesex got 655 in reply, that's the highest ever score here in a County Championship match. Ryan Higgins got his first ever double-century, his previous highest score was 199. Tom Helm also beat his personal best score, we saw a century from Colin Ingram who had a really good match - 132 not out from him.

So there was much to enjoy, the statisticians would have absolutely adored this match.

Personally speaking, there were periods when the ball was soggy and and the pitch was flat when it was difficult to get very excited about what was going on, but thank goodness we had the records tumbling and we had some excellent batting.

Another bowling change. James Coles is back in for another spell.

Tremain is forward to defend back down the pitch.

Coles hustles through a quick maiden over and the last ball is quicker and beats the outside edge of Tremain's bat.

21 left and the light is fading.

Chris Tremain digs out an Ollie Robinson yorker and sees out the over.

Now the pressure is back on Lewis McManus. Jayden Seales bowls short and McManus ducks.

The fourth ball is safely tucked away through mid wicket for a couple.

If the light does deteriorate, we've been advised that the floodlights at Hove can't be used for this game.

Just the two runs off the over. 22 overs left.