Unfortunately it's a bit of a false start around the grounds this morning as wet weather means we are not under way anywhere yet.

But some delays are shorter than others so we should have some play very soon with Glos v Derbyshire scheduled to get going shortly.

If there is no more rain in Surrey then that one will get started at 11:15 BST.

Keep your fingers crossed that the umbrellas can be tucked away and we will see a good day's cricket.

A wet outfield has prevented a prompt start to day three at The Oval.

It'll take a little while to dry and the umpires plan a resumption at 11:15 if there's no further rain.

Given we're already in the fourth innings, a bit of a wait isn't going to worry anyone too much.

There will be a delay to the start of day three at Chelmsford with no inspection announced just yet.

There will be a delayed start at Merchant Taylors' School with the umpires due for another trip out to the middle at 10:45 BST.

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Tom Helm said it was good job half done as Middlesex battled their way into a strong position after day two against Lancashire at Northwood.

Middx have a lead of 212 with eight second innings wickets still intact at the halfway stage – a position Helm said they would have “bitten hands off” for had it been offered beforehand.

"Being 116-2 off 24 we'd have bitten your hand off for that. It's set the game up really nicely and put us in a strong position,” said Helm, who took 4-40 in Lancs first innings.

“It was a great day for us in the end. We trucked along nicely towards the end to get a healthy lead on that wicket we think.”

Lancs assistant coach Will Porterfield admitted the visitors were well behind in the contest.

"We are behind by more than we would have liked in the game," he said. "I think we haven't got the rewards we probably should have done for how we've bowled throughout the game.

"We've got to hope you get a bit more luck and restrict them to what could hopefully be a chaseable total."

Morning rain has meant a late start at Southampton but hopefully it won't be for long.

The covers are off and the umpires are inspecting.

Warwickshire are keen to get one with it as they bid for the 14 wickets they need to win the match.

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In the fight to play Division One cricket next season, almost certainly with Durham, both Kent and Northamptonshire will certainly want to force home their adavantages from yesterday.

Zak Crawley and Sam Northeast, who's unbeaten on 96, have put second-placed Kent in firm control against outsiders for that second spot Worcestershire at Canterbury.

After polishing off the Pears they battled much better second time round and will resume with a huge 218-run lead with plenty of wickets in the tank.

At Wantage Road, half-centuries from Saif Zaib and James Sales have turned their match with Durham into a one-innings affair.

The home side lead by just 20 on a pitch that has been turning a mile.

So stand by your beds.

We've only had the equivalent of a day and a half of cricket at The Oval but it'll not take more than another half day to decide it.

The two teams were bowled out in less than 60 overs between them as a lively pitch, some shocking batting and excellent bowling combined to produce 23 wickets in the day. One of the stars with the ball was England test squad member Matthew Fisher who has eight wickets in the match.

The experienced Rory Burns and Dom Sibley will hope to buck the trend having already put on Surrey's highest stand of the match so far.

There's been a bit of rain around South London this morning but hopefully that's clearing.

There's been rain in Southampton this morning so there could be a delayed start but the hope is it will soon clear.

Warwickshire will be anxious to get on the field and keep progressing the game as they try to at least stay with their title rivals who are going well elsewhere.

The return of India international Manav Suthar to the Bears ranks has been timely. He's already had the Hampshire batters in a spin.

The home team need to lift themselves. Rock bottom of the table there was a sense of doom around the ground as day two went against them.

But as either Surrey or Yorkshire will only get three points from their game and Leicestershire are struggling, Hampshire can still close the gap if only by forcing a draw in this game.

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Somerset opener Tom Lammonby said his incredible catch off the last ball of day two made up for missing out on a century in bizarre circumstances.

Lammonby took a stunner at silly point to dismiss Mason Crane off the bowling of Jack Leach as Somerset took a steely grip on the contest at the halfway stage.

But until then his day had been soured by an unbelievable passage of play where he was out in the nineties twice only to be reprieved both times by a no ball then still miss out on a century.

“When I got into the nineties, I had a lot of luck with the no-balls,” said Lammonby. “Up to then, I had been really decisive with balls outside off stump, but for some reason that changed when I got into the nineties."

Despite the two lives Lammonby fell five short of a hundred.

“It’s not the first time this season I have been out close to a century. I don’t know if it is something in my mind, but I don’t want to make an issue of it," he said.

“I was shocked more than anything by the catch I took off the last ball of the day. It was the first time I have taken one at silly point and when I looked at my hand the ball had stuck.

“It was a great way for us to end an already good day and hopefully we can put in another strong performance tomorrow.”

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Sussex hat-trick hero Henry Crocombe admitted he was in a state of disbelief after taking a second hat-trick in as many games.

Just seven days after polishing off Somerset’s first innings in three balls at Hove, the Surrey-bound pace bowler did it again as Essex lost seven wickets for six runs.

“It’s not really sunk in yet, I don’t know what to say. Getting one is amazing but the second I just can’t believe it’s happened,” said Crocombe.

“It all happens so quickly you can’t quite believe it. It’s good fun.

“I knew this time I was on a hat-trick! I was at the end of my run-up smiling, thinking it can’t happen again. I just tried to get a full, straight yorker in and see what happened.”

Essex seamer Jamie Porter insisted Crocombe, who will play for Surrey next season, is an international of the future.

“I think he is very exciting. He bowled with serious pace. The element that I felt was potentially missing from his game to take him to that level of being on the cusp of international cricket he seems to have added," said Porter.

“He has now become pretty relentless at hitting a good length at high pace. Personally, I think – and I’ve been saying it for a few months now – you’re looking at a future international cricketer.”

Here's a run down of how things stand after yesterday's action.

Division One

Essex 177 v Sussex 275 & 90-4

Surrey 83 & 27-0 v Yorkshire 185 & 82

Nottinghamshire 451-8d v Leicestershire 23-2

Somerset 441-0 v Glamorgan 194 & 30-1

Hampshire 74-6 v Warwickshire 398

Division Two

Gloucestershire 237 v Derbyshire 162-2

Kent 238 & 193-7 v Worcestershire 217-2

Northants 225-7 v Durham 205

Middlesex 247 &166-2 v Lancashire 151

Image source, Shutterstock

Morning everyone,

Welcome to day three, which promises to be another cracker - as long as the weather plays its part.

The early forecast might not be great but it should get better as the day goes along.

Which is pretty much what happened on the field yesterday.

Henry Crocombe's second hat-trick in just over a week blew Sussex's match at Essex wide open.

Then there was the small matter of 23 (TWENTY THREE) wickets falling at The Oval where Surrey, who looked out of it when collapsing to 83 all out against Yorkshire, then rollled the visitors out for 82.

All that madness means they only need 158 to win.

It might not be the only result we have today either.

Let's not forget brilliant hundreds from Jack Haynes, Liam Patterson-White, James Bracey and Rob Yates.

No pressure then, day three.

Let's go.