Warwickshire are chasing an unlikely LV= Insurance County Championship victory over Kent at Edgbaston after some inspired bowling from their seam attack.
Despite the loss of four sessions due to rain, Warwickshire followed up their 453-4 declared, in which Sam Hain hit an unbeaten 165 and Dan Mousley made 94 from 93 balls, by skittling Kent for 158.
All five seamers took wickets as Hasan Ali led the way with 3-36 and Chris Woakes picked up two wickets in his first Championship match for 19 months.
Kent closed the third day on 27-1, following on, still 268 behind.
Northamptonshire closed in on their first championship win over Middlesex since 2010 after the visitors suffered a fourth batting collapse of the season at Wantage Road.
Chris Tremain took three wickets as Middlesex, plagued by early-season batting frailties, plummeted from 37 without loss to 107-7.
A 52-run stand between Toby Roland-Jones and Luke Hollman ensured there would be a fourth day, but Northamptonshire closed on 30-1 needing 119 for victory.
Surrey and Hampshire looks set for an exciting final day at the Kia Oval after Mohammad Abbas' 6-64 and an unbeaten 79 from Nick Gubbins vied for the visitors' top billing.
For Surrey, it was Ollie Pope with 91 and Dan Worrall's 3-30 which did most to keep their own hopes of victory alive, but Hampshire reached stumps on 198-5 - a lead of 182.
Keaton Jennings held together Lancashire's second innings with a patient half-century against Essex at Chelmsford.
Skipper Jennings, the leading championship run-scorer last season, made an unbeaten 80 from 170 balls as Lancashire reached 167-4 on a rain-affected day - a lead of 155.
Brett Hutton took 6-45 - his best figures for Nottinghamshire - to bowl them into a strong position against Somerset at Trent Bridge.
Somerset were bowled out for 173 replying to Nottinghamshire's first-innings 256, and that lead was extended to 270 by the close.
Haseeb Hameed (34) and Lyndon James (32) ensured Somerset have plenty of work to do on the final day to avoid defeat.
Gloucestershire's Division Two match against Yorkshire at Bristol was abandoned without a ball being bowled and no play was possible for the second consecutive day between Leicestershire and Derbyshire.
Leicestershire reached 234-2 from the only 63 overs possible.
Jack Haynes produced a career-best knock of 134 from 255 balls in Worcestershire's 366-5 declared.
Durham ended day three on 96 for two in their second innings - a lead of 155.