Lovely shot by Matt Milnes to drive through the covers from Tom Bailey and that races away for four.

Kent are ticking along nicely this morning. Their lead is now worth 14 runs.

A big appeal from Kyle Abbott for LBW against Hamza Shaikh is turned down.

A good shout. In line, not too high, but Shaikh may just have got outside the line.

Sam Hain goes over the top, is he going to be caught... no it's safe and runs away for four.

The field came up and he took it on.

Hain now on 63.

Tom Haines and George Thomas are the openers for Sussex and Olly Stone will bowl the first over.

The home side pick up a leg bye off the first ball.

Three slips and a point in for the Ben Cliff hat trick ball...

A good ball - as was yesterday's hat trick ball, nipping back in and defended into the leg side.

Overton is on 17, having driven Ben Coad wide of the slips via a thick edge for four in the previous over.

It is all about the team effort, particularly at this stage of the season. But Zak Crawley might have half an eye on three figures for a personal milestone this morning.

Crawley nudges a single off Tom Bailey to move to 76 before Matt Milnes picks up a couple more to go to 20.

Whether you're on the boundary at one of the nine grounds or following along from the office, we want to hear your views on today's action.

Who's going to come out on top in this exciting title race? Is this the year Somerset finally get their hands on the County Championship trophy? If Durham look certain to return to Division One, who will join them?

Let us know your thoughts on any of those or other questions, and the day's action, by clicking the yellow button on the left of the page and we'll publish the best comments right here throughout the day.

Gloucestershire have finally finished off Middlesex's first innings with Danru Ferns bowled by JT Langridge for 13.

The visitors finish on 326 all out, with Toby Roland-Jones 45 not out - a good effort, having been 222-8 yesterday.

Left-armer Langridge returns figures of 3-82.

Under way in Northampton where the home openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Luke Procter are continuing to be watchful rather than attacking.

Just as I write that sentence the former cracks the first boundary of the day to move to 16.

We mentioned that Essex have lost Tom Westley and Shane Snater to injuries - and that Jack Auld had been called in to make his debut as the latter's replacement.

In case you haven't seen him before, here he is in the nets before start of play at Chelmsford.

Image source, Shutterstock

That's not the line.

Auqib Nabi fires one down outside leg stump and Zain ul-Hassan tickles it fine for the day's first boundary.

Kent have wasted no time in wiping out Lancashire's 10-run lead from overnight, with Zak Crawley moving onto 72 and Matt Milnes on 18.

The home side now lead by four runs with three wickets still in hand.

Could be another tough day for batting, judging by Dan Worrall's opening over of the day.

It costs him a couple of singles but there is still movement there and he beats Asa Tribe with a perfect leg-cutter, which just misses the edge.

Tom Scriven gets a single off the fourth ball and Hamza Shaikh defends.

A bit of inswing there in a probing over from Kyle Abbott.

Scott Currie will bowl the next over and there's the edge!

Caught...and it's a no ball.

A short ball is deflected off the top of the bat for four.

Image source, Shutterstock

We start with a maiden over from Essex stand-in skipper Sam Cook.

He is captain today with Tom Westley absent with a finger injury sustained in the field yesterday.

Will we see 17-year-old Jack Auld have a bowl? He's also in as a sub for Shane Snater.

The first wicket of the day falls at the Riverside, where Worcesterhire's Ben Allison has Ben Raine caught behind for nine.

Durham are now 437-8 as Matthew Potts comes out to join Ollie Robinson, who remains 78 not out.

Matt Milnes picks up two fours from the first over by Tom Bailey, tickling the second of those down to the fine leg boundary.

Eight from the over and Kent are almost in the lead in this match.