Essex on brink of winning County Championship after rain frustrates Somerset at Taunton

Essex have all but secured their second County Championship title in three years after poor weather meant play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on day three of their game against Somerset at Taunton.

Scorecard

The visitors, who began the Division One match 12 points ahead of their title rivals, were due to resume on 25-0 in reply to Somerset's first innings of 203, with Nick Browne (16no) and Sir Alastair Cook (5no) at the crease.

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But overnight rain, followed by frequent light showers, frustrated attempts to get the game back under way, adding to the frustration of 119 overs being lost over the first two days.

It means that Somerset must take 20 Essex wickets on Thursday to claim the Championship pennant for the first time and, in so doing, halt the visitors' celebrations in their tracks.

Nottinghamshire dented Surrey's prospects of rounding off their County Championship campaign with a victory as they saw out a tricky session on the third evening at The Oval. Scorecard

The home side declared at 402-6 and set out to try to capture 20 wickets in the time remaining but they were largely thwarted by Nottinghamshire, who reached stumps for the loss of only Steven Mullaney.

Ben Slater (29no) and Ben Compton (16no) steered the visitors to 77-1 before bad light ended play - meaning a draw looks the most likely outcome in this rain-affected climax to the season.

Earlier, Ollie Pope (106) had completed his second hundred since returning from injury, sharing a partnership of 222 with fellow centurion Scott Borthwick as Surrey batted their opponents out of the game.

The match between Warwickshire and Yorkshire also appears consigned to a draw after a second successive day was washed out at Edgbaston. Scorecard

Weather permitting, Yorkshire will resume on the final day on 261-2, with the match destined for a stalemate unless the captains set up a run-chase on the last day of the season.

Canterbury could not escape the poor weather either as, for the second day running, not a ball was bowled in the match between Kent and Hampshire. Scorecard

Hampshire will try to resume their first innings on Thursday on 80-3 in reply to Kent's 147 all out.

In Division Two, Graeme van Buuren and Ben Charlesworth staged a superb seventh-wicket stand of 151 as Gloucestershire took a major step towards securing promotion on the third day against Northamptonshire at Bristol. Scorecard

All-rounder Charlesworth, 18, registered a career-best equalling 77 not out, while Van Buuren scored a season's best 93 as Gloucestershire, who resumed their first innings on 80-6, reached the close on 220-7.

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Second-placed Northamptonshire were left to reflect on a slightly lacklustre performance with the ball, but their promotion to Division One will nevertheless be confirmed should they secure a draw on the final day.

Only fourth-placed Glamorgan can now spoil the party planned for Bristol but play was abandoned for the day without a ball being bowled in their match against Durham at Emirates Riverside, leaving Glamorgan's hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory to boost their promotion hopes looking slim with Durham 262-8 in their first innings. Scorecard

The same fate befell Sussex and Worcestershire after heavy overnight rain was followed by frequent showers. Sussex are due to resume on 299-8 on Thursday. Scorecard

Leicestershire's bowlers needed just 47.3 overs to bowl Lancashire out after play finally got under way on the third day at the Fischer County Ground. Scorecard

Overnight rain on an already-sodden outfield - no play at all had been possible on day two - meant it was 2pm before the umpires decided the ground was fit for play, with a possible 59 overs to be bowled.

Steven Croft (44) and Liam Hurt (38) put on 60 for the eighth wicket before Lancashire were bowled out for 170, a first-innings lead of 15, with Dieter Klein (3-65) and Ben Mike (3-41) taking three wickets apiece. Leicestershire were 40-0 at the close.

Dawid Malan and Billy Godleman joined an exclusive club as the game between Middlesex and Derbyshire meandered towards a draw on day three at Lord's. Scorecard

The respective captains became just the fifth and sixth batsmen in Division Two to reach 1,000 County Championship runs for the season on the campaign's penultimate day. Only Warwickshire's Dominic Sibley has managed the feat in Division One.

Malan's came in a score of 72 out of a Middlesex total of 260, while Godleman achieved four figures when reaching 19, going on to make 27 as Derbyshire replied with 199-4.