Lawrence joins fifty club on wet day

Just nine overs were possible on the second day of Essex's County Championship Division Two clash with Northamptonshire at Chelmsford.

The morning session was completely washed out and an early lunch taken at 12.30pm. An hour later, the players took the field for 39 minutes before a heavy band of rain returned to end the session. An early tea was taken but, despite the weather clearing later in the afternoon and the umpires inspecting after the covers were peeled back at 5pm, no further play was possible as the outfield remained sodden.

Nine overs was enough, however, for Essex to pick up a fourth batting point. Ravi Bopara and Dan Lawrence brought up their century partnership and Lawrence became the fifth member of Essex's top five to pass 50, knocking his 92nd delivery into the off side for two off the bowling of Rory Kleinveldt. An over later, Bopara crashed a drive through the covers off Azharullah to bring up Essex's 350.

The mini-session saw Essex's domination of the match continue. On day one, Nick Browne, Alastair Cook and Tom Westley all fell in the sixties as Essex reached the close on 335 for 3. With further inclement weather forecast for the final two days of the match, however, a result seems unlikely.