Warwickshire are 20-1 in the seventh over having just lost Varun Chopra to Toby Roland-Jones.
Yorkshire, watching Middlesex’s progress, will be doubly frustrated with what is going on here. The light just shows no signs of improving, and I’d be surprised if we see any more play.
Durham are 341-8 against Notts, leading by 272 with Keaton Jennings 158 not out, while Lancashire are 391-6 and closing in on the 404 follow-on target against Somerset.
Essex, meanwhile, are just two wickets away from a victory over Worcestershire which would extend the gap between them and second-placed Kent to 24 points with two matches to play.
Middlesex have declared on 267-7, setting Warwickshire by 338 at Edgbaston. The leaders had put their foot down just before tea, with Toby Roland-Jones even promoted up the order to number seven and hit 21 off 17 balls.
At Old Trafford, the match between Lancashire and Somerset is heading for a draw. At 368-3, Lancashire only need 36 more to avoid the follow-on with Alviro Petersen on 153 and Steven Croft 58.
Durham and Keaton Jennings are still going strong. They have moved to 311-6, leading Notts by 242. Jennings is 143 not out, and whatever target is set Notts are going to have to go for it.
Essex are three wickets away from victory over Worcestershire at Chelmsford, while Derbyshire lead Gloucestershire by 135 with four second-innings wickets in hand at Derby.
Still gloomy here at the Ageas Bowl and no sign of a resumption.
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Victory for Northamptonshire over Glamorgan at Wantage Road by a thumping 318 runs. Set 451 to win in their second innings, the Welshmen were bowled out for just 132 as Rob Keogh took four more and Graham White added six.
Incredibly, all 20 Glamorgan wickets fell to the spin of Keogh and White. Keogh finished with match figures of 13-125 and White 7-91.
No sign of a resumption at the Ageas Bowl, unfortunately.
We’re off for bad light again at the Ageas Bowl, with Yorkshire 143-2 and leading by 202. We had just 17 balls of play in that little spell.
Elsewhere, play has been uninterrupted. Middlesex are 177-3, leading Warwickshire by 247. Sam Robson has 60 of them.
Alviro Petersen has scored an unbeaten century against his former county Somerset as Lancashire chase a fourth batting point at Emirates Old Trafford. They are 312-3 in the 102nd over replying to Somerset’s 553-8 declared.
The Graham Onions-Keaton Jennings alliance has been broken. They shared 162 for the fourth wicket as Durham turn the tables on Notts.
Jennings is only Durham’s third man to post six hundreds in a season alongside Michael Di Venuto and Paul Collingwood, the latter being at the crease with him now. Onions was trapped lbw for 65 by Samit Patel sweeping. The hosts are 260-4 with a lead of 191.
In Division Two, Worcestershire are three down at Chelmsford and battling to take their clash with Essex into a fourth day, while Glamorgan are two wickets away from defeat at Northampton and Derbyshire are 65 ahead of Gloucestershire with six wickets left.
We have news of a 2.35pm restart with 17 overs lost from the day’s allocation here, while at the other end of the country Graham Onions has secured his first career fifty for Durham.
First result of the week comes at Hove, where Kent have beaten Sussex by an innings and 127 runs, bowling the hosts out for 189 second time around. Hardus (Hairdos with the aid of autocorrect) Viljoen, Matt Coles and Mitch Claydon all finished with three wickets apiece.
As things stand in Division Two, that puts Kent within eight points of leaders Essex, who look well placed to complete victory over Worcestershire at Chelmsford and extend that gap to 24.
But I must admit, this morning, I was looking at the scorecards at the games and predicting victories and defeats with a deal of certainty, but now this weather has hit us, I have my doubts.
Just as umpires Nick Cook and Nigel Cowley had got themselves onto the outfield, followed by the Hampshire lads, the rain returned and they have all trooped back towards the pavilion. Could be a frustrating day.
Leaders Middlesex have reached lunch on 129-3 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, leading by 199. Sam Robson is 43 not out.
But what a performance from Durham’s fourth-wicket pair Keaton Jennings and Graham Onions, who have added 123 to take their lead over Notts to 132 at 201-3. Jennings is 90, but Onions has a career best 49 to his name.
The rain has stopped here at the Ageas Bowl, and we are due to start against at 1.25pm. Light could still be an issue as the day goes on.
We are off for bad light, and there is a touch of rain in the air as well, although I can’t believe that would have taken the players off in better light. Yorkshire are 134-2, leading by 193.
It seems to have been a positive morning so far for the two sides on the edges of the relegation battle, Durham and Lancashire, although the latter have just lost their first wicket.
Keaton Jennings, unbeaten on 63, and nightwatchman Graham Onions have shared an unbroken 62 for Durham’s fourth wicket, taking the score to 140-3 and the lead to 71 over Notts.
Lancashire are now 217-3 in reply to Somerset, with the magical target 404 for them to avoid the follow-on at Old Trafford. Liam Livingstone has just edged Jack Leach behind for 57, ending a 117-run partnership with Alviro Petersen, who has 59.
Essex have declared on 601-5 at Chelmsford, including 109 for Ryan ten Doeschate, and they lead Worcestershire by 371.
Kent’s Hardus Viljoen has taken two of three Sussex wickets at Hove, and they are 128-5 and still 183 runs in arrears.
In the time it has taken for me to write this post, the rain here has got much heavier. Good call by the umps to take them off. Early lunch in the offing, I’d suggest.
I have to admit, I’m not particularly one for weather forecasts. I just don’t believe them. But I’m being told there’s due to be some rain around the country tomorrow. If so, that could throw the cat well and truly among the pigeons.
I’d also be pretty surprised if we see all of the planned 96 overs here today given the light is already not great and we are playing under lights.
Yorkshire have lost Adam Lyth for 56 in the last five minutes, caught at first slip off Brad Wheal’s first ball of the morning. They are now 101-2, leading by 160.
Tom Westley has reached his 250, helping Essex to 529-4 in the process against Worcestershire. Surely, the declaration can’t be too far away now down at Chelmsford with the lead now 300.
Yorkshire have started steadily here, although there have been a couple of streaky boundaries for Gary Ballance and Adam Lyth wide of and through the slips. They have advanced to 88-1, a lead of 147.
Some late-morning reading from Gary Naylor:
Good morning all.
We certainly seem to be edging closer and closer to a final week winner takes all clash for the title between Middlesex and Yorkshire at Lord’s later this month.
As long as the weather doesn’t intervene, it’s looking likely that the Division One’s leading pair will both win their respective matches this week. Middlesex are on top against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, while here at the Ageas Bowl Yorkshire are in an almost identical position against Hampshire.
Middlesex are 63-0 in their second innings ahead of day three, leading by 133, and Yorkshire are 69-1 second time around with a lead of 128.
I can offer Hampshire a touch of encouragement, however. It’s overcast here in Southampton, and last night Yorkshire seamer Jack Brooks gave the following assessment of the pitch: “It’s already starting to dent, and our batters have said they never felt in on it.”
Heading down the division and to Durham, where the hosts have a job on their hands to avoid a defeat against rock bottom Notts which would plunge them into trouble. They only lead by 14 with seven second-innings wickets in hand and nightwatchman Graham Onions at the crease. Durham do have a game in hand on the teams around them, but they travel to Headingley next week and also have to come here to face Hampshire in the final round.
Lancashire also remain in danger of relegation, and they are on the back foot against Somerset at Emirates Old Trafford having seen the visitors rack up 553-8 declared first time around. An illness to Luke Procter meant Rob Jones had to open the batting in only his second first-class appearance, and his 34 contributed to a steady start for the hosts at 138-2. But there’s still a lot of batting to do for them before they can feel safe, and there will be many of you who will know the issues the Red Rose have with their batting.
At the top of Division Two, leaders Essex and promotion chasing Kent could well wrap up three day wins over Worcestershire at Chelmsford and Sussex at Hove respectively. It would take something special for Kent to overhaul Essex for the only promotion place, but at least a win will keep Ryan ten Doeschate and company honest.
Gloucestershire are also on course for an away win against Derbyshire following a first hundred of the season for the Colonel, Phil Mustard, yesterday.
Finally, at Northampton, they saw one of the individual performances of the season from Rob Keogh, whose off-spinners returned a remarkable career best 9-52. Prior to yesterday he had never taken more than three-for. Ben Duckett then scored 189 at the top of the order, passing 1,000 Championship runs for the season in the process, to set Glamorgan an unlikely 451 to win. They are yet to get off the mark following three overs last night.
Overcast morning @TheAgeasBowl ahead of day three. @YorkshireCCC in control at 69-1 in their second innings, leading by 128.
— Graham Hardcastle (@tykestravels) September 2, 2016
Morning all,
We are back with Graham Hardcastle in Southampton today. Here is his report from last night:
Happy Friday.
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