County Championship Round 3 Day 3/4

(no play): Durham 308 & 152-7, Somerset 185 (Div 1) 

Durham and Somerset endured a frustrating third day, with no play possible because of rain and bad light.

The home side were due to resume their second innings on 152-7, a lead of 275.

But the teams were unable to make it out to the middle and umpires Michael Gough and David Millns abandoned play just before 17:00 BST.

All three results remain possible on the last day - but only two sides have scored over 300 in the final innings to win at Chester-le-Street.

Yorkshire made 339 to beat Durham last year, and Sussex reached 309 to do so in 2011, both successful run chases taking place in April.

"It's been a pretty grim and miserable day and there have been some bored cricketers, which is never good. But it's not too bad, there's still enough time in the game," said Durham coach Jon Lewis.

"The game had moved forward pretty quickly in the first two days - 17 wickets on day two obviously took the game forward even more so - so 270 ahead as we are, we are still pretty optimistic there's enough time to win the game." 

Lancashire 247 & 46-0, Warwickshire 324 (Div 1) 

Lancashire's match against Warwickshire looks set to end in a draw after day three was badly hit by rain.

After the weather prevented any action before tea, play started at 16:45 BST.

The visitors only added eight to their overnight lead of 69 before James Anderson took his first wicket of the match, clean bowling Oliver Hannon-Dalby to see them all out for 324.

Home openers Paul Horton (27) and Luis Reece (nine) made a good start to the reply to end on 46-0, 31 behind.

The weather prospects for Wednesday look better, though, at this stage, it seems unlikely that either side will be able to force a result.

The game is Lancashire coach Peter Moores' final one before taking over as England head coach for the second time. 


Essex 306 v Surrey 217-6 (Div 2)

Skipper Graeme Smith hit his first half century of the season as Surrey responded to Essex's 306 all out with 217-6 on day three at The Oval.

The South African made 65 off 88 balls before becoming a 36th-birthday victim for seamer David Masters.

But the day's highlight was provided by Ravi Bopara, who brilliantly ran out Rory Burns with a back-handed flick after fielding off his own bowling.

Did you know?

Essex's innings was only the sixth instance of 10 players reaching double figures in the same Championship innings, without one of them making a half century.

Earlier, Matt Dunn took 5-60 as Essex added 81 to their overnight 225-6.

It was the second time the 21-year-old had claimed five wickets in an innings and he rounded things off by having Monty Panesar caught by Stuart Meaker for 17.

Smith and Burns laid a solid foundation for Surrey in reply before the latter, on 16, was sent back by his partner after setting off for a single and was beaten by Bopara's stunning direct hit.

Dominic Sibley then helped add 77 for the second wicket before Smith, who brought up his fifty with two fours in the same Panesar over, fell two runs short of his highest score for the county when he edged Masters to third slip.

Jaik Mickleburgh was the catcher and he again showed a safe pair of hands to send Sibley on his way for 34 off the bowling of Tymal Mills, who also accounted for Steven Davies.

Spinner Panesar had Gary Wilson (18) taken at mid-on and then bowled Meaker (14) behind his legs, but Jason Roy was unbeaten on 30 at the close and with only one day remaining - and Surrey 89 runs behind - a draw seems the only likely result. 


Kent 269-7, Leicestershire 333 & 39-2 (Div 2)

Kent's Daniel Bell-Drummond hit his second fifty this summer as his side's declaration set up the possibility of a positive finish against Leicestershire.

They lost Sam Northeast and Rob Key early on day three after the visitors failed to add to their overnight 333.

But Bell-Drummond (58) and Brendan Nash (45) steadied the ship before Darren Stevens followed up his earlier 3-48 against his old club with 48.

Kent then declared 64 runs behind on 269-7 and Leicestershire ended on 39-2.

Australian paceman Doug Bollinger dismissed Matthew Boyce and nightwatchman Anthony Ireland with successive balls, giving Kent hope of a first victory of the season, after they lost their opener to Worcestershire. 


Glamorgan 145, 80-3 v Gloucestershire 231 (Div 2)

Will Bragg and Murray Goodwin halted a Glamorgan collapse on a rain-affected day three against Gloucestershire.

The adverse Cardiff weather saw play delayed until 14:30 BST, and the visitors added one to their overnight score of 230 for a lead of just 86.

After a short suspension in play with the hosts 27-0, Gareth Rees, Stewart Walters and Jacques Rudolph fell for just nine runs to leave them 36-3.

But Bragg (29) and Goodwin (26) saw them to the close on 80-3, six behind. 


Hampshire 328 & 20-0 v Derbyshire 399 (Div 2)

Tailender Tim Groenewald hit 56 not out to help Derbyshire to 399 all out and a 71-run first-innings lead on day three against Hampshire.

After resuming on 203-2, overnight centurion Stephen Moore fell to South African paceman Kyle Abbott for 128.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 82, but Abbott took 4-84 before Groenewald hit two sixes and nine fours.

Hampshire's Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams played out nine overs before the close as the visitors closed on 20-0.

Derbyshire picked up nicely from their overnight score, but a brief delay for bad light seemed to disturb the concentration of Moore and Chanderpaul.

Abbott removed centurion Moore thanks to a smart slip catch from Sean Irvine, and Chanderpaul fell to James Tomlinson in similar fashion, with both batsmen feeling for deliveries outside off-stump.

After Chesney Hughes, Richard Johnson and Wes Durston fell cheaply, the tail wagged as Tony Palladino (28) helped Groenewald bludgeon some vital extra runs, with the pair collecting 68 in boundaries.

When Hampshire's openers finally made it to the middle, play was disrupted by the gloomy Derby sky and eventually halted with Carberry on 11 and Adams five not out. 


Yorkshire 459-9 dec v Northants 94 & 149-4 (following-on)

Matthew Spriegel and James Middlebrook (63) fell late to leave Northants 149-4 following-on, 216 runs behind Yorkshire after a rain-interrupted day three.

After making 94 on day two, Northants lost Stephen Peters early, but Kyle Coetzer (39) and Middlebrook rebuilt.

Ryan Sidebottom dismissed the latter before Jack Brooks grabbed two more.

Maurice Chambers survived 15 dots as nightwatchman to reach stumps alongside Rob Newton (11 not out), leaving the visitors a tough final day.

But those late strikes can only place Yorkshire moderately in control of their own destiny with just 49 overs played on day three, and Wednesday's forecast not dissimilar.

The weather meant a shortened second day, with the visitors left to stew overnight after being skittled, and Tykes skipper Andrew Gale unsurprisingly put them back in.

Opposite number Peters did not last long before edging Sidebottom behind, and after a rally, Coetzer fell in the same way.

A combination of stoic batting and weather interruptions meant it looked as though Yorkshire would have to settle for that, but the reintroduction of Brooks, day two's star, saw Spriegel trapped in front and Middlebrook become wicketkeeper Andy Hodd's third catch of innings.