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Image source, Rex Features

That's us done for day two.

I'll be back with Steve Mather tomorrow from 10:45 BST on what could be a pivotal day in a number of matches.

Hope you can join us then.

Group One

• Durham 475 v Derbyshire 148-5
• Warwickshire 243-8 v Essex 295
• Worcestershire 436 v Notts 99-0

Group Two

• Hampshire 470 v Gloucestershire 114-2
• Leicestershire 233 & 48-3 v Somerset 318
• Middlesex 268 v Surrey 154 & 105-3

Group Three

• Kent 85-4 v Lancashire 525
• Northants 251-7 v Glamorgan 407
• Sussex 221 v Yorkshire 150 & 163-5

Don Topley
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Essex

Warwiçkshire’s bowlers batted with much determination and resilience to deny Essex an important and substantial lead at Edgbaston.

Danny Briggs enhanced his reputation as an all-rounder as he and Craig Miles added an unbroken 50-run, ninth-wicket partnership, which helped Warwiçkshire finish day two just 52 runs behind.

Simon Harmer and Peter Siddle have three wickets apiece, but the good cricket played by Essex lost a bit of shine as the champions dropped three catches - two extremely hard chances, but surprisingly by Simon Harmer and one regulation chance at slip by Sir Alastair Cook.

Somerset end day two well on top thanks to three wickets in the evening sunshine - two from big Craig Overton and one from Josh Davey.

Leicestershire face an uphill battle to get something from the game, still trailing by 37.

Wayne Madsen closed on 76, but muich will depend on him tomorrow when Derbyshire resume still trailing Durham by 327 runs with only five wickets remaining.

After earlier taking three wickets at the top of the order, Chris Rushworth's return to remove Matt Critchley may prove the key dismissal.

Gloucestershire still trail Hampshire by 356 runs, following the in-form hosts' excellent 470 at Southampton.

But, despite the late loss of West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Gloucestershire have England Lions wicketkereper James Bracey well set tio start day three on 46.

Nottinghamshire openers Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed put their bats under their arms and head for the pavilion just one short of a century stand after making a solid reply to Worcestershire's earlier all-out total of 436.

Half-centuries from the Pears' 8, 9 and 10 Ed Barnard, Azzarri Joseph and Joe Leach had hauled the hosts up from 216-7.

But Hameed (51) and Slater (41) have so far amassed 99 from 44 overs.

That's it for day two in the capital.

It's advantage Middlesex I'd say, especially if they can pick up a couple of quick wickets in the morning.

But Surrey have a couple of experienced heads at the crease in Rory Burns and Ben Foakes and batting to come.

Surrey still trail by nine.

Northants will head into day three needing another seven runs to avoid the follow-on.

An unbroken stand of 38 between Wayne Parnell and Gareth Berg has just about kept them in the game.

Zak Crawley's breezy innings of 60 not out is the only bright spot on a challenging second day for Kent.

Centuries from Luke Wood and Danny Lamb earlier in the day at Canterbury have put Lancashire in command.

Another hard-fought day at Edgbaston as Warwickshire refuse to buckle.

At 193-8, they looked likely to fall short of even one batting point in reply to Essex's 295.

But Danny Briggs and Craig Miles have rallied well to put on 50 for the ninth wicket.

Briggs (32) and Miles (22) will resume tomorrow needing five more runs for an even more unlikely second batting point, while Essex have 10 overs to take the one wicket they need for a third bowling point.

Stumps on the south coast and it's Sussex who just about end day two on top.

Yorkshire only lead by 92 and will need a big push in the morning to give themselves a decent total to defend.

Martin Emmerson
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Newcastle

It's the 95th time that Derbyshire stand-in skipper Wayne Madsen has gone past 50 in his first-class career - and his fourth half-century against Durham, although he hasn't yet gone on to reach three figures.

He and Matt Critchley came together after Luis Reece was adjudged to have clipped one down the leg side from Chris Rushworth, on 15 in the seventh over.

I was surprised to see Neil Mallender give it out. Later analysis suggested that he didn't hit the ball and was unlucky.

for Burnspublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 23 April 2021

17:57 BST 23 April 2021

Middlesex 268 v Surrey 154 & 92-3

It's been a good couple of minutes for England's top-order batsman.

Surrey captain Rory Burns goes to his second fifty of the season.

The England opener still has a lot of hard work on his hands to get Surrey into a decent position at Lord's though. They trail by 22.

for Crawleypublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 23 April 2021

17:56 BST 23 April 2021

Kent 68-3 v Lancashire 525

A rapid half-century for England batsman Zak Crawley.

The Kent number three gets there off just 48 balls and has hit 10 fours. Impressive stuff from the 23-year-old.

partnership for Derbyshirepublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 23 April 2021

17:53 BST 23 April 2021

Durham 475, Derbyshire 129-3

Wayne Madsen and Matt Critchley have helped Derbyshire recover from their false start against Durham with a century stand.

Madsen has moved on to 68, while Critchley is on 39, just 11 away from a fifth successive half-century.