As we have said, the Championship takes a back seat this week as the T20 Blast returns with the quarter-finals.

The next round of four-day matches begins on Monday 9 September, with Somerset-Surrey the headline attraction.

Division One (all 10:30 BST):

Chester-le-Street: Durham v Lancashire

Chelmsford: Essex v Nottinghamshire

Canterbury: Kent v Hampshire

Taunton: Somerset v Surrey

Worcester: Worcestershire v Warwickshire

Division Two (all 10:30 BST):

Leicester: Leicestershire v Yorkshire

Lord's: Middlesex v Gloucestershire

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Derbyshire

Hove: Sussex v Glamorgan

No doubt who the big winners were in Division Two this week - leaders Sussex.

They were the only county to get a victory and they now have an outstanding chance of securing Division One cricket next season.

Again, all sides have played 11 games with three to go.

1. Sussex 177pts

2. Middlesex 158

3. Yorkshire 157

4. Leicestershire 139

5. Glamorgan 125

6. Gloucestershire 119

7. Northamptonshire 111

8. Derbyshire 104

Image source, Rex Features

Division One

• Somerset 492 & 263-5 dec v Durham 336 & 126 - Somerset win by 293 runs

• Essex 404 & 140 v Worcs 266 & 321 - Worcs win by 43 runs
• Notts 405 & 121-0 v Surrey 525 & 177-9 dec - Match drawn
• Warwickshire 420 v Kent 156 & 243 - Warwickshire win by an innings and 21 runs
• Lancashire 200 & 152 v Hampshire 389 - Hampshire win by an innings and 37 runs

Division Two

• Glamorgan 550-9 dec v Leicestershire 251 & 369-6 - Match drawn
• Yorkshire 601-6 dec & 150-2 v Middlesex 522 - Match drawn
• Sussex 607-8 dec v Derbyshire 290 & 258 -Sussex win by an innings and 59 runs

• Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire - match abandoned because of unsafe pitch

The rain has worsened and they have shaken hands on the draw.

Peter Handscomb's final knock of the season for Leicestershire is an unbeaten 139 to help Leicestershire escape from Cardiff with a draw.

Ajinkya Rahane also made 102 as the visitors made light of the 299-run first innings lead which the hosts amassed over the first seven sessions, thanks largely to Colin Ingram's career best 257*.

Spare a thought for Mason Crane who dropped both of the centurions early on yesterday, Rahane twice, and also Louis Kimber this afternoon.

Glamorgan pick up 14 points with 11 for Leicestershire but in truth it will do neither team any good in the race for promotion from Division Two.

Image source, Getty Images

Essex director of cricket Anthony McGrath couldn't hide his disappointment after the thrilling defeat at home to Worcestershire, which likely ended any hopes of winning the title.

After having the visitors 10-4 on the first morning and building a first innings lead of 138, the hosts needed 184 to win, only to be bowled out on the final afternoon well short in the end.

McGrath told BBC Radio Essex: "It’s an opportunity missed for us, given the context of where we are in the season.

“We were really good for two days, having lost the toss on a good surface.

“To get a lead of 130-140 after two days, we would normally drive that advantage home, but we were really sloppy.

"We dropped loads of chances, which is very unlike us. If we had held on to them, obviously, we’d have been chasing fewer runs.

“It shows the importance of really forcing home your advantage when you have it and it’s unlike us not to do that.

"We have to reflect on what happened, but I don’t want to be too critical because nine times out of 10 we’d have gone on and won.”

We have now finished around the country in the top division.

While the gap has closed at the top on leaders Surrey, it has got a whole lot worse at the bottom for Lancashire and Kent after wins for Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

All teams have now played 11 games, with three remaining.

1. Surrey 193pts

2. Somerset 169

3. Hampshire 156

4. Essex 149

5. Worcestershire 134

6. Warwickshire 132

7. Durham 130

8. Nottinghamshire 116

9. Lancashire 106

10. Kent 71

Rory Burns brings himself on for the final knockings of this game.

Then Jordan Clark skips through an over bowling off one pace.

It is time for handshakes...

Image source, Getty Images

Worcestershire skipper Brett D'Oliveira was bashful about the inspired field setting whih saw him execute a run-out and take a stunning catch from a position at short mid-on, basically standing in the opposite crease.

“I’d like to say it was absolute tactical genius, but that’s definitely not the case," he told BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester. "That’s cricket. It just felt that everything went our way and that comes from years of hard work. Thankfully we reaped the benefit.

“As a captain sometimes you have to have a gut feeling and go with that feeling and thankfully it came off.

“If you get two wickets in any over when you’re trying to bowl a team out it goes a long way in turning the game. It just came at the perfect moment."

The Pears win - having been 10-4 on the opening day after winning the toss, and then conceding a 138-run first innings deficit, will live long in the memory.

D'Oliveira added: "That was one of the best games I’ve played in. I can’t think of a better four-day win I’ve been involved in.

"We were behind the eight-ball straight away at but the character and strength of that group have shown over the last 12-18 months has been incredible.”

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell was unhappy with the decision to restart play in gloomy conditions on the third evening at Taunton after his side crashed to a heavy defeat at the hands of Somerset.

Umpires Rob Bailey and Mike Burns, who had taken the teams off due to bad light during Somerset’s second innings, gave the green light for play to begin again at 6pm with the home side declaring and employing an all-spin attack.

That move severely dented Durham’s hopes of saving the game as they crashed to 15-3 in no time and were eventually bowled out for 126 on the final day, with home spinner Jack Leach taking 7-50.

“I have to be careful what I say, but being told to go back out on the field last night was totally unacceptable,” Campbell told BBC Radio Newcastle.

“You can’t come off, then it gets darker, and then be told we are going to play because the other team are going to bowl spin.

“Our batters couldn’t see the seam on the ball and the three wickets we lost might have made a difference today with the rain around.

“Losing the toss was massive. We have been outplayed in all facets of the game, which is disappointing – but we will bounce back.”

Not long to go now...!

50 for Ben Slaterpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 1 September 2024

16:41 BST 1 September 2024

Notts 405 & 107-0 v Surrey 525 & 177-9 dec

And now Ben Slater s his captain in raising his bat, running one out into the offside.

That is a 41st first-class half-century.

A not out 50-odd here is always good for the average, too!

As we reach the last rites in the remaining two games of this round, it's worth a reminder that we switch from red ball to white ball in midweek.

The T20 Blast quarter-finals take place with one every night from Tuesday to Friday as eight teams battle for a place at Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday 14 September.

• Kia Oval: Surrey v Durham (18:00 BST, Tuesday)
• Hove: Sussex Sharks v Lancashire Lightning (19:00, Wednesday)
• Northampton: Northamptonshire Steelbacks v Somerset (Thursday, 18:30)
• Edgbaston: Birmingham Bears v Gloucestershire (Friday, 19:00)

There will be live radio commentary and live text coverage of every single one.

Rain stops play at Sophia Gardenspublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 1 September 2024

16:36 BST 1 September 2024

Glamorgan 550-9 dec v Leicestershire 251 & 359-6

Ned Leonard bangs in a bouncer and the umpires immediately point to the Pavilion.

It's the rain rather than the light that's prompted it.

The hover covers are gliding on as the players head off.

That could be it...

50 for Haseeb Hameedpublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 1 September 2024

16:36 BST 1 September 2024

Notts 405 & 100-0 v Surrey 525 & 177-9 dec

Image source, Rex Features

A second half-century of the match for the Notts skipper.

A half tracker from Cam Steel and those four runs clock up a 78-ball 50 for Haseeb Hameed.

From half tracker to full toss and four more for Hameed as that boundary brings up the 100-run opening partnership for him and Ben Slater.

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Leach reiterated his desire to force his way back into the England side after bowling Somerset to a resounding win against Durham - but the prospect of a maiden County Championship title is his immediate focus.

Somerset, one of three counties who have never claimed the Championship pennant, strengthened their chances of ousting Surrey as they completed a 293-run success at Taunton.

Leach finished with match figures of 12-174, bowling unchanged throughout Durham's second innings and taking seven wickets as the visitors were swept away for just 126.

The 33-year-old told BBC Somerset: “I don’t want to get my hopes up, but I am as determined as I ever have been to play for England.

“In the meantime, I want to do all I can to help Somerset win the Championship.

"We are all excited at the prospect of facing Surrey at Taunton next as one of three hugely important remaining games.

“We are still right in the fight for the title, which is where we wanted to be at this stage of the season.

“You had to be patient as a bowler (against Durham), but if you kept putting the ball in the right place you were rewarded.”

We continue regardless...

The body language suggests the Glamorgan players have accepted their fate.

Their will be wounds to lick after missing out on a second Championship win of the season.

It's spitting...

Ned Leonard produces a tidy first five balls but drops the last of the set in a little short which allows Liam Trevaskis to swivel and pull the ball away for another boundary, a four this time.

He has 20 from 78 balls with half of the runs coming from two of the deliveries.

Timm van der Gugten is back at the River End and Glamorgan are trying an eye-catching umbrella field with seven catchers infront of the bat.

That's it from Headingley, with the umpires ruling that the light remains unfit for play and the match is abandoned as a draw.

Realistically, that's been the most probable result since some time yesterday afternoon and it means Yorkshire take 13 points from the game to Middlesex's 11.

Middlesex stay second in the table, just one point ahead of the White Rose - and both sides face an uphill battle to catch leaders Sussex after their innings win against Derbyshire at Hove.