Essex on verge of title - day three as it happened

1. Division One leaders Essex beat Warwickshire by an innings and 56 runs
2. They will be champions unless Lancashire beat Somerset
3. Lancashire 247-8 at the close at Taunton, just 45 runs ahead
4. Yorkshire 59-1 at stumps after following on against Surrey
5. Leicestershire spinner Callum Parkinson takes 8-148 against Worcestershire

Signing off

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Essex paceman Jamie Porter waits to uncork the bubbly

Phew. That's the end to another thrilling day of County Championship cricket.

To recap, Essex have done their bit. They thrashed Warwickshire by an innings and 56 runs and that means barring an unlikely Lancashire win they will be crowned champions tomorrow.

Lancashire will return just 45 runs ahead with only two wickets left against Somerset.

We'll be back in the morning to keep you right up to date with that one as well as the other big games at the bottom of Division One and top of Division Two.

Make sure you join us to see if Essex's 25-year wait comes to an end.

Close of play scores

Division One

Middlesex 162-7 (59 overs) v Hampshire

Somerset 335 v Lancashire 133 & 247-8 (f/o)

Lancashire need 45 runs and must win or Essex are champions

Surrey 592 v Yorkshire 394 & 59-1 (f/o)

Yorkshire need another 139 to avoid innings defeat

Warwickshire 201 & 112 v Essex 369-9 dec

Essex won by an innings and 56 runs

Division Two

Glamorgan 207 & 320 v Northamptonshire 310 & 42-1

Northants need another 176 for victory

Gloucestershire 385 & 67-0 v Kent 386

Gloucestershire lead by 66 runs

Derbyshire 338 & 322-8 v Sussex 271

Derbyshire lead by 389 runs

Leicestershire 404 & 111-7 v Worcestershire 493

Leicestershire lead by 22 runs

Gloucestershire openers stand firm

Gloucestershire make an excellent start to their second innings at Bristol as Chris Dent (41*) and Cameron Bancroft (25*) see off Kent's new-ball attack. The home side lead by 66 and a draw is now the likeliest result, barring a dramatic collapse on the final day.

Kent's Sam Northeast and Joe Denly both made half-centuries to pass 1,000 runs for the season earlier in the day, while Darren Stevens hit an unbeaten 65 off 58 balls.

Derbyshire build big lead

An early declaration by Derbyshire on the final day is surely inevitable after they reach stumps with a 389-run lead at Hove - a lead which may spell the end of Sussex's lingering promotion hopes.

Sussex paceman Stu Whittingham takes five wickets in a Championship innings for the first time as Wayne Davis top edges a catch to Ollie Robinson in the penultimate over, but Harry Podmore remains on 66 not out.

Duckett goes for Northants

Rob Newton hits two fours for Northants in the final over of play at Cardiff as they reach the close needing another 176 for victory. Ben Duckett fell for 23 in the previous over, caught behind off Michael Hogan for 23, prompting the visitors to send out Simon Kerrigan as nightwatchman.

With Worcestershire seemingly heading for victory against Leicestershire, only a win will be good enough here for Northants as the promotion race nears its climax.

Middlesex struggle at Uxbridge

Only 28.5 overs are possible on day three at Uxbridge, but Middlesex lose four wickets in that time. John SImpson is 15 not out and the close, with Ollie Rayner on four, and this is a nailed-on draw unless the captains can contrive something meaningful on the final day.

WICKET Raine (c Mitchell b Ashwin) 10

The third day's play at New Road ends on a low note for Leicestershire as Ben Raine is caught in the slips off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2-36). The visitors are only 22 ahead with three wickets standing, despite Callum Parkinson's 8-148 in Worcestershire's first innings.

The home side began the game second in the table and with only one match left to play after this one, victory tomorrow will be a big step towards clinching a promotion place.

Title will be 'highest honour' - Ryan ten Doeschate

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Essex may not be mathematically sure of the title but captain Ryan ten Doeschate says the Lancashire result is "irrelevant"

Only a win for the Red Rose county could prevent Essex lifting the title tomorrow, but Ten Doeschate seems happy to start the celebrations early.

“The last challenge is to go unbeaten this season but we’re going to celebrate first," he said.

"I know it’s not confirmed but I think whatever Lancashire do now is pretty irrelevant.”

“It’s something I’ve thought about every night before I go to bed; how can we get to the top and win the highest honour in county cricket. We’re all exhausted if I’m honest but it’s all worth it”

WICKET Harris (lbw Abbott) 0

Only one side will be enjoying this mini-session at Uxbridge and it certainly isn't Middlesex. They lose their fourth wicket since the belated start as Kyle Abbott removes James Harris. In their position in the table, Middlesex need to pick up some batting points and that's not looking promising at the moment.

So that means Essex will have to wait until tomorrow at least to be crowned Division One champions.

An unlikely Lancashire win would mean they have to wait another week.

Any other result at Taunton and the title is theirs.

Lancashire cling on at Taunton

Lancashire survive to the close.

The Somerset players look pretty happy with their days work.

Lancashire lead by 45 with Tom Bailey (7 not out) and Kyle Jarvis (2 not out) at the crease but only have two wickets left.

Somerset are appealing for everything. They're desperate for more wickets.

Leach is certain he has Bailey lbw but the umpire disagrees. It looked pad first but did the batsman get outside the line?

The bowler definitely doesn't think so. He stands with his hands on his bald head halfway down the pitch.

Leach then lets his frustration get the better of him and serves up a full toss on the final ball of the over which is dispatched for four.

WICKET Dexter (lbw Ashwin) 48

They are back at New Road and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dismisses Neil Dexter, who is unable to follow his first-innings hundred with a half-century. Leicestershire are just eight runs ahead and barring bad weather on the final day, Worcestershire are looking good for another win to boost their promotion chances.

WICKET Franklin (b Abbott) 0

Two wickets in quick succession for Hampshire as Ian Holland has Max Holden caught in the slips for 35 and Kyle Abbott removes Middlesex captain James Franklin. It's the South African paceman's first wicket of the game, and 46th of the season.

Somerset push for late wickets

This is like French cricket now at Taunton.

Lancashire batsman Tom Bailey is standing with both feet pointing back towards the bowler with a host of fielders around the bat.

10 minutes until the scheduled close. A reminder the weather forecast isn't great for tomorrow in the south west. Somerset need all the wickets they can get.

Yorkshire avoid further damage

Shaun Marsh (27*) and Alex Lees (19*) survive the final 13 overs at the Oval as Yorkshire reach the close still 139 behind after being asked to follow on. Tom Kohler-Cadmore is the only batsman dismissed, leg-before to Sam Curran. Surrey are the only team that can win this game, and after nine draws and only one victory so far this season, they will be pulling out all the stops on the final day.

for Harry Podmore

Well batted Harry Podmore, who takes a single off George Garton to reach the first half-century of his career. He has more than doubled his previous highest score in this innings and partner Wayne Davis celebrates his achievement by belting a six and a four in the remainder of the over.

Clearly Davis is having difficulty seeing the ball - so the umpires take the players off for bad light. Derbyshire are 361 ahead and Sussex are going to have to do something special with the bat on the final day if they are to retain an interest in promotion.

Less than 15 minutes now until the scheduled close at Taunton.

Remember this game gas huge ramifications at both ends of Division One.

If Somerset win then they could be out of the relegation places and Essex will officially be champions.

The lead is 37.

WICKET Parry (c Hildreth b Bess) 12

Lancashire are eight down just 36 ahead!

Off-spinner Dominic Bess is back among the wickets and he takes his third as he finds the inside edge of Stephen Parry which is diverted onto pad and caught close in on the off side.

Again the Lancashire batsman doesn't seem happy with the decision. He stands there at the crease head bowed.