County Cricket Live 2012

Yorkshire have not lost a match in the Championship but haven't won one since May, which is of much greater significance to their prospects of returning to Division One. Little wonder they were anxious to get on the field again.

With Hampshire and Kent breathing down their necks with games in hand, Yorkshire really need to find a way to drag a win out of this match. Given that Northants are not out of the promotion race themselves, it would appear to be in the interests of both sides to set up a meaningful last day but there is no sign yet that anything has been agreed. At 275-7, Northants are 26 in front and there are 26 overs left in the day.

It wasn't just some more overs lost but all of the overs scheduled for the remainder of the day after that teatime downpour. Only 57.4 overs possible in total, at the end of which Northants are 175-3. Yorkshire have lost practically half their season to weather. If they do go up, it will be some tribute to their efficient use of available time.

The players are taking tea but it has been bucketing down at Wantage Road during the break and it would be a surprise if there were no more overs lost. Already 11 have been trimmed from the schedule. A strong wind is making it hard work for the groundstaff, grappling with the big sheets.

Today is Yorkshire Day. But not at Wantage Road, where a good position set up by the 104-run partnership between Jaques and Gale for the third wicket has been badly wasted. Apart from the snorter from David Willey that got rid of Adam Lyth every dismissal can be put down to unforced error. Seven wickets have gone for 75 since Gale's risky single ran Jaques out. Pyrah, Ballance, Rashid and Rafiq seem to have been holding their own contest to see who could get out to the worst shot. 224-3.

Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown has returned to Surrey’s first team after a period away from the game following the death of his close friend Tom Maynard in June. Hamilton-Brown was granted a period of compassionate leave after last featuring for his county in a Twenty20 match with Hampshire on June 30.

This may be over in a few minutes, if all parties are agreed, although Sussex are only 29 in front with as many as 19 overs still possible in the day, so a couple of quick wickets could throw that supposition out of the window. Indeed, there were two quick wickets a few moments ago.

Riki Wessels, bowling off-spin in shades Swanny-style, claimed his first in senior cricket on English soil as Luke Wells chipped back a return catch. The batsman was not keen to walk off, it appeared, and umpire Gough was not altogether decisive about giving him out, but the finger came up to confirm his demise in time. It was difficult to see any reason he would not have given it.

In the following over, a horrible shot by Michael Yardy resulted in an easy catch for Andre Adams in the midwicket region off Harry Gurney's bowling. But the draw looks a very warm favourite.

Sad to say (and sorry to mention the weather), it is you-know-whating at Trent Bridge and heavily. But Sussex were going to take the match into a fourth day in any case, having reached 117 without losing a wicket. In fact it is more than 24 hours since a wicket fell in this match.

Chris Nash and Ed Joyce both have half-centuries, in the case of Nash his seventh in his last 10 Championship innings against Nottinghamshire, of which two have been turned into centuries, one against Notts at Hove in May.

Since the rain break this match has not exactly been transformed, but Durham have at least given Middlesex something to think about in the fourth innings. At the resumption Durham were in a perilous place at 119-7, but Scott Borthwick and Callum Thorp came out bullishly and added 60 in eight overs. Thorp went first, but Borthwick continued to bat inventively with his last two partners, and was undefeated at the close of the innings.

So Middlesex need 118 runs to win. Each successive innings score so far has been the best of the match, suggesting that they should achieve that comfortably, but Durham, who at times yesterday appeared dispirited in the field, will be buoyed by this afternoon’s mini-revival. They also have Graham Onions, Ben Stokes and Callum Thorp in their attack. Onions is about to bowl the first ball.

Apart from another frustratingly early dismissal for Alex Hales, this has been Nottinghamshire's day. Riki Wessels, who scored 199 against Sussex at Hove in May, has looked pretty impressive and by the close he and Michael Lumb had added 55 in a Notts total of 88-1. They trail by 83 runs.

Hales was leg before to Amjad Khan for eight. A batsman capable of playing with power and elegance, Hales averages a below-par 25.33 in the Championship. He has three half-centuries in 18 innings but 11 scores of 14 or fewer.

Somerset have beaten Warwickshire by one wicket. Thrilling victory, brought about by an innings of 152 by Craig Kieswetter.

Today is Jason Roy's birthday and he has been generous enough to entertain the scattering of spectators in the appropriate spirit, hitting 70 off 45 balls with eight fours and three sixes, one off Harry Gurney and a couple off Samit Patel. Surrey are 197-4.

No-one wants to see Ravi Bopara. Well, Somerset supporters, maybe. Nick Compton has just taken his championship tally for the season to 935 runs, way ahead of anyone else. His average is a mere 93.05. Watch out, Ravi.......

The rain has stopped (for now) and the umps reckon we may get a restart at 6pm. which would leave 13 overs to be bowled today. Then again, another show could roll along.

Some good news for Glamorgan: Matthew Mott, their head coach (head of elite performance, to give him his official title) is staying with the county after being interviewed by Cricket New Zealand.

4.20pm: Myles Hodgson at Lancashire v Worcestershire. Worcestershire, without a championship win all season, have put themselves into a strong position to change that after dismissing Lancashire for 162 and claiming a 129-run first innings lead on a spin-friendly wicket at Old Trafford.

Moeen Ali claimed career-best figures of six for 67 and Shaaiq Choudhry, Worcestershire’s left-arm spinner, wrapped up the rest of the wickets to also grab a career-best four for 38 to leave Lancashire facing the prospect of following on until a 43-run last wicket stand between Kyle Hogg and Simon Kerrigan.