Image source, Rex Features

The afternoon session has commenced at the Utilita Bowl.

Ben Slater is in on 16 and is joined by Freddie McCann on 6 - he gets the session underway with a swipe at Kyle Abbott, which bypasses the cordon and races to the boundary.

Still plenty in it for bat and ball, it would appear.

Sonny Baker is now into the attack.

Luke Procter tries to get a bat on a leg side ball from Will Williams but the ball goes through untouched to keeper James Bracey.

Now the ball is bowled outside off and Procter leaves it.

A bit of width to end the over and Procter doesn't get the ball clear of backward point. Maiden over.

for Charlie Allisonpublished at 13:56 BST

13:56 BST

Essex 117-4 v Leics 333

Image source, Shutterstock

Lovely cover drive for four by Charlie Allison off Ben Green takes him to 50 off 76 balls.

It's his first since the opening game of the season when he made 80 against Hampshire, having been dismissed in the 40s three times.

Rain stops playpublished at 13:55 BST

13:55 BST

Yorkshire 486 v Surrey 0-0

Well, some confusion here.

As the batters, fielders and umpires walk onto the pitch to start the Surrey innings, a brief shower falls over Headingley.

The players then head straight off before a ball is bowled as the groundsmen put the covers on.

The spectators remain unmoved which suggest this will just be a brief break in play.

There is a threat of rain here this afternoon but no rain yet as Northants captain Luke Procter reaches for the ball outside off stump and misses.

Possibly an attempted slap through point.

Early encouragement for bowler Craig Miles.

The fifth ball is leg side and tucked away to backward square for one.

Saif Zaib sees out the over and it looks like Will Williams will bowl from the Pavilion End.

I should however mention the ground staff are hovering on the boundary edge with the covers...

Not much oomph there from Ben Green.

He digs one in short but Jamie Porter - whose highest first-class score before this innings was 34 - has loads of time to pull it away to mid-wicket for four.

James Taylor runs a ball from Matthew Potts down to the third man boundary and Kent reach 500 for the first time this summer.

Potts, though, is one wicket away from a five-for.

A great start for Gloucestershire this morning, who dislodged Nathan McSweeney in the first over of Day Two.

An unbroken 44-run stand since then, in tough conditions of movement and some bounce on a length.

Northants captain Luke Procter takes guard first, facing Craig Miles on 37 not out.

Saif Zaib is at the non-striker's end on 18.

The visiting team trail by 71.

As well as being County Cricket Day everywhere, it's Past Players Day at Chelmsford.

There's a good turn out - Keith Fletcher and Derek Pringle among them.

How many more can you name?

Image source, Shutterstock

Image source, Shutterstock

Image source, Shutterstock

It has been a case of Warwickshire easing themselves into their reply at Edgbaston.

Tom Norton and Timm van der Gugten have in turn asked questions with the new ball, but until now the Bears openers have been very watchful.

Overhead right now Birmingham is cloudy but dry, although rain is expected later this afternoon - Edgbaston would not be the only venue around the country where a match is impacted.

100 partnershippublished at 13:45 BST

13:45 BST

Middx 177 v Derbys 230-5

The 100 partnership is up for Derbyshire.

Wayne Madsen 42* and Ben Aitchison 65* have played really nicely to help put the visitors in a commanding position at Lord's.

You can imagine that Kent's bowlers are determined to keep batting for as long as possible so they don't have to send down too many overs on what has now reverted to being a placid batting track.

Durham have got one or two to bounce sharply - as Matthew Potts did to pick up the wicket of Keith Dudgeon before lunch - but that apart there isn't a lot to fear.

Ekansh Singh is 50 not out for Kent and his new partner, following the interval, is James Taylor.

This has been a good partnership so far between Charlie Allison and Jamie Porter and Essex have plenty of batting to come.

A couple of quick wickets, though, and the Foxes will have a spring in their step at Chelmsford.

Ben Mike - 1-15 from five overs so far - will bowl the afternoon's opening over.

Ryan Higgins gets us back under way at Lord's with Derbyshire's lead now 51 with five first-innings wickets still in hand.

Rain stops play at Tauntonpublished at 13:37 BST

13:37 BST

Somerset 394-5 v Sussex

Shortly before lunch the players were taken off the field because of a threat of rain.

This is actual rain. Heavy rain.

We had three rain breaks before that interval, limiting the morning session to 10 overs.

This game is on hold for now.

Warwickshire's reply has begun after the lunch break. Rob Yates, out in the middle with opening partner Alex Davies, faces Timm van der Gugten first up.

Image source, Shutterstock

Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace has expressed concern about the early-season fixture schedule which has seen his side plays six games in seven weeks.

Speaking at the end of the first day at Taunton, he said: "it the sixth game on the bounce, with the last four having little break in between them, and we are asking the same players to perform day-in, day-out.

“It’s not lack of effort, care or trying. There’s a few tired bodies and the break next week will do the players good.

"We have a few fresh ones to come into our T20 side and will be able to give our bowlers some rest."

Some of that may be due to when England make Root and Brook available - and when they don't.