Rain delays Nottinghamshire innings

Nottinghamshire's batsmen faced something of a rearguard action on the third day of the Championship match against Essex at Trent Bridge. When lunch was taken early they had reached 83-3, still 283 runs away from saving the follow-on.

With an unsettled weather forecast and spits of rain in the air it was something of a surprise when played started on time. The good fortune lasted only for seven deliveries though, before the players had to run for shelter from a sharp shower. Notts added four runs to their overnight total of 45-1 before the interruption.

Seventeen overs were lost as everyone endured a frustrating hour before a re-start was possible. Almost immediately Ronnie Irani picked up his second wicket, trapping Jason Gallian in front for 3.

John Morris came in at number four and hit a couple of early boundaries - a pull of Ashley Cowan being enthusiastically greeted by a very sparse crowd. Cowan exacted his revenge though with the help of Stephen Peters. Morris edged a pacy delivery to first-slip and Peters took a routine catch low down. The bowler's joy was shorted-lived as Usman Afzaal hit a four and a three from his first two deliveries.

Afzaal had, like Morris, come in ahead of Paul Johnson in the batting order and he straight drove his next delivery, from Irani, for another three to reach double figures off just three balls faced.

Darren Bicknell added another single, to take him up to 43 not out, before the rains returned and with black clouds overhead the umpires decided to take an early lunch. Just over ten overs had been bowled during the abridged session and Notts had scored 38 runs for the loss of two key wickets.