LV= CC, May 25: As it happened

4:53pm - Foakes has passed 50 for Essex and Foster could soon follow suit. The pairing of contrasting experience have extended their alliance into three figures.

Wood has a second for Durham, although Middlesex are surely safe on 106 for three.

4:41pm - Chris Rogers falls almost immediately after bringing up his fifty, lbw to Mark Wood. It is unlikely to matter, with a draw on the cards barring a sensational Middlesex collapse.

@Middlesex_CCC on Twitter: Rogers brings up his 50 - 52* off 75 balls including 7 fours - we're 94-1 with Denly 30* #DurhamvMiddx

4:35pm - RESULT! Gloucestershire (234 & 254) lose to Worcestershire (457 & 33/0) by 10 wickets at New Road: Gloucestershire battled courageously today, but were ultimately left with too much to do. Daryl Mitchell’s Worcestershire complete a second successive 10-wicket win, thanks largely to another dozen scalps from Alan Richardson.

4:27pm - Another piece of county news for you. Worcestershire have confirmed the injured Jacob Oram will be unable to fulfil his stint as overseas player for the Friends Life t20. West Indies international Andre Russell has been secured as a a replacement for the veteran Kiwi.

4:24pm - Hogg ends Bailey's fun, having the Australian caught in the covers for 84. Tea is belatedly taken at the Ageas Bowl with Lancashire leading by 37 on first-innings.

4:18pm - Essex's recovery continues through Ben Foakes and James Foster, who have shared 80 following a stunning top-order collapse. The Chelmsford outfit lead Kent by 20.

Hampshire could yet sneak ahead of Lancashire. Bailey has dashed to 80 in the company of number 11 James Tomlinson.

Worcestershire are clearly in a hurry as they collect 11 runs in the first over of their chase.

4:11pm - Ah, that's a shame. Norwell is bowled for a two-ball duck, leaving Roderick stranded on 79 not out. Worcestershire need just 32 to win and it looks certain Gloucestershire's final-day defiance will prove in vain.

@EssexCricket on Twitter: A couple of two's by Ben Foakes off Mark Davies has put Essex ahead. The home side are now 88 for 5 with Foakes 33 and James Foster 27.

4:08pm - Gloucestershire's main hero today has been Gareth Roderick. The young wicketkeeper has a century in his sights on championship debut. However, he now has only last man Liam Norwell for company, as Craig Miles has fallen to Chris Russell for 20. At 254 for nine, Gloucestershire lead by just 31.

4:04pm - As play resumes in the other three matches, Bailey gives Hampshire a boost by taking 10 from a Hogg over with the aid of a huge maximum.

@LancsCCC on Twitter: With nine wickets down, tea will be delayed. We have 33 (overs) left.

3:55pm - Lancashire break that useful partnership as Danny Briggs edges behind off Hogg. Hampshire are 221 for nine and 74 behind.

@hantscricket on Twitter: 200 up for Hants. Useful partnership here between Bailey (55*) and Briggs (27*). 209-8.

3:46pm - It is time for tea at the Emirates Durham ICG, Chelmsford and New Road, where Gloucestershire’s miraculous rescue act continues.

3:30pm - Lancashire's wicketkeeper may want to stay away from Chapple until the latter claims his 900th first-class scalp...

@LancsCCC on Twitter: Cross hands Bailey a life on 42 behind stumps off Chapple, diving in front of first slip. 182-8 now.

3:28pm - Gloucestershire have more than doubled their score through numbers seven, nine and 10. Roderick now has 70 and is receiving able support from Craig Miles. Surely Worcestershire are not going to be denied?

@DurhamCricket on Twitter: Huge LBW appeal off Thorp but the umpire doesn't move. @Middlesex_CCC 23-1 in the 10th.

3:08pm - Five wickets for Chapple - and all of them have come since lunch! The tireless seamer has David Balcombe caught at midwicket by a diving Karl Brown to leave Hampshire, who were 98 for one earlier today, 164 for eight. Chapple needs one more to reach 900!

James Foster and Ben Foakes are providing much-needed stability for Essex, who are now 24 in arrears at 60 for five.

I don't think Middlesex are particularly interested in pressing for victory. They have played out four consecutive maidens since Robson's exit.

Gloucestershire now lead Worcestershire, yet the visitors to New Road still have much work to do with only two second-innings wickets intact.

@WorcsCCC on Twitter: Here's a wonderful view of today's proceedings. pic.twitter.com/7DHRWVVcyt

@hantscricket on Twitter:Drop catch! Pull shot from Bailey (30) is fumbled by Moore at square-leg. Hants 151-7.

2:55pm - Not the best start for Middlesex second time around. Sam Robson is caught behind off Callum Thorp with 12 on the board.

2:45pm - Meanwhile, away from Chapple causing mayhem on the south coast, Durham have declared on 240 for six in their second innings, setting Middlesex an unlikely 304 to win from 51 overs.

In Division Two, Roderick has passed fifty but lost his ally in the belated Gloucestershire rearguard. Fuller is out for 42 to give Gareth Andrew his third scalp of the innings.The visitors are still 13 behind Worcestershire with two second-innings wickets remaining.

@LancsCCC on Twitter: Chapple is now just two away from 900 first-class wickets. #legend

2:35pm - As he has done so many times over the years, Chapple is single-handedly dragging Lancashire into a position of strength. He now has four wickets for no runs in six balls and Hampshire are reeling on 144 for seven. Like Ervine, Michael Bates and Chris Wood depart bowled without scoring, the latter having survived the hat-trick ball.

2:25pm - Lancashire captain Glen Chapple has given his side fresh impetus at the Ageas Bowl with a double-wicket maiden! The veteran seamer had James Vince caught in the slips by first-innings centurion Andrea Agathangelou for 15 before cleaning up Sean Ervine two balls later. Hampshire are 144 for five, 151 behind.

2:10pm - Good grief! Essex have lost five wickets for four runs, the last three with the score on 24! Jaik Mickelburgh is caught behind off Charlie Shreck. Essex are 60 behind and half their team are back in the hutch.

Durham's sixth wicket goes down as Phil Mustard falls to Gareth Berg for three.

James Fuller and Gareth Roderick are continuing to hold up Worcestershire. The eighth-wicket pair have shared 72 in 34 overs.

2:03pm - That unlikely Kent win just became a great deal more likely! For the second over in succession, Davies picks up two wickets! Mark Pettini and Ryan ten Doeschate are the men to go and Essex are 24 for four!

@Middlesex_CCC on Twitter: WICKET! Diving catch from Robson & Collingwood is out for 18 off the bowling of Harris - 194-5 leading by 257 runs #DurhamvMiddx

1:55pm - Make that two wickets at Chelmsford, where Kent may just be starting to scent an unlikely win. Mark Davies has removed Ravi Bopara for a blob. Essex still trail by 64.

@kentcricket on Twitter: Wicket! T Westley c Jones b Davies 17. Essex 20/1.

1:44pm - After picking up a handy wicket just before lunch, Lancashire have struck soon after the interval. Liam Dawson is the man to go, caught by wicketkeeper Gareth Cross off Kyle Hogg for 55. Hampshire are 107 for three in reply to the Red Rose's 295 all out.

1:06pm - Time for lunch around the country. You can see all of the LV= County Championship scores below, while ecb.co.uk’s Matthew Sherry has news of the morning session at Headingley, which looked to be going England’s way before Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook departed to successive balls.

Division One

Durham are 177 for four in their second innings and lead Middlesex by 240 at the Emirates Durham ICG.

Division Two

Gloucestershire are 160 for seven in their second innings at New Road and trail Worcestershire by 63.

Essex are 18 without loss in their second innings at Chelmsford, which means they trail Kent by 66.

At the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire are 107 for two in reply to Lancashire's 295 all out.

12:55pm - Carberry will not be following Hampshire team-mate Dawson to 50. He has been caught behind for 43 in Simon Kerrigan's first over. New batsman George Bailey gets off the mark immediately with a four.

12:48pm - Scott Borthwick has a fifty for Durham, his second in the match.

We also have a half-centurion at the Ageas Bowl in the form of Dawson.

@DurhamCricket on Twitter: We now lead by 217, there are 74 overs remaining in the match. What do you think will happen here?!

12:29pm - Reece Topley removes Mark Davies, which means Kent are all out for 296. They lead by 84 and would love a couple of scalps prior to lunch to make things interesting.

It has been a fine morning so far for Hampshire, who are now 91 for one with Liam Dawson and Michael Carberry nearing 50.

Roland-Jones strikes again at the Emirates Durham ICG, winning an lbw verdict against Ben Stokes to leave Durham 154 for four.

However, Worcestershire have come up against belated resistance from Gloucestershire's eighth-wicket pair. Gareth Roderick and James Fuller have been together for more than an hour now.

12:25pm - Meanwhile, here's some breaking news from @Yorkshireccc on Twitter:We can confirm that @Liam628 (Liam Plunkett) will be out of action for two weeks after sustaining a thigh strain.

12:23pm - We knew that would do the trick.

Essex strike with successive balls as Ravi Bopara ousts Stevens for 136 prior to Matt Coles being run out for 30.

At Durham, Will Smith has been snapped up by Toby Roland-Jones for 17.

12:14pm - There has not been a wicket for quite some time in any of our LV= County Championship matches.

Cue an inevitable flurry of wickets...

12:03pm - After a sluggish start, Durham have started to push on. At 134 for two, their lead now stands at 197.

11:50am - Not too much happening around the grounds just now, although Stevens - very much the centre of attention this morning - has collected successive fours off Masters at Chelmsford.

@LancsCCC on Twitter: After being convinced he had Carberry caught behind, Hogg will be cursing as next ball is driven for four. Carberry on 18, 44-1 now.

@EssexCricket on Twitter: 100 for Darren Stevens, his third century in his last 4 Championship visits to the ECG. Kent 234 for 7

11:30am - Stevens has his hundred, from 190 balls with 12 fours. Can he help Kent establish a telling lead following two early wickets this morning?

11:27am - Gloucestershire find themselves seven down - and still 116 short of making Worcestershire bat again as Gareth Andrew bowls Jack Taylor.

Runs are coming a little easier for Hampshire than they did yesterday. The Ageas Bowl hosts have moved to 27 for one against Lancashire.

@EssexCricket on Twitter: WICKET - James Tredwell run out for 1 going for a quick single. Kent 227 for 7. Darren Stevens 99 not out

11:15am - Stevens loses his overnight partner as Geraint Jones is bowled offering no shot to David Masters.

Worcestershire have taken another step towards victory through Alan Richardson, who appears to be in the form of his life. The veteran seamer has pinned Benny Howell lbw for his 12th wicket of the match, having claimed a dozen scalps last week against Kent!

There has also been a breakthrough at the Emirates Durham ICG, Keaton Jennings falling to Gareth Berg for 35.

11:10am - We forgot to mention that Darren Stevens is closing in on a century for Kent. He began the day with 91 to his name and has so far added two more this morning.

@LancsCCC on Twitter: First boundary of the Hampshire innings comes in the 10th over, Dawson pulls Hogg. 12-1.

10:58am - We could still get a positive result in the Division One clash at the Emirates Durham ICG, although that may depend on whether Durham, 152 ahead with nine second-innings wickets intact, fancy setting a target for Middlesex.

Kent will seek to establish a healthy first-innings advantage at Chelmsford, in order to put a little pressure on Essex.

The day’s other game is taking place at the Ageas Bowl, where Hampshire made a shaky start yesterday in reply to Lancashire’s first-innings 295.

10:45am - Back to the county scene and one team will be particularly confident of wrapping up victory today. Worcestershire reduced Gloucestershire to 87 for five on day three at New Road and the visitors still need a further 136 to avoid an innings reverse.

10:35am - There is, of course, another fixture taking place as England and New Zealand meet in the second Investec Test at Headingley. After yesterday's washout, Alastair Cook has won the toss this morning and chosen to bat. You can keep up with Matthew Sherry's live text for ecb.co.ukhere.

10:30am - Morning everyone. A trio of LV= County Championship matches reach their conclusion today, while it is day three in the game between Hampshire and Lancashire.

Here’s a reminder of how things stand across the country:

Division One

Durham are 89 for one in their second innings and lead Middlesex by 152 at the Emirates Durham ICG.

Division Two

Gloucestershire are 87 for five in their second innings at New Road and still trail Worcestershire by 136.

Kent are 214 for five in reply to Essex’s 212 after the third day at Chelmsford was washed out.

At the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire are seven for one in reply to Lancashire's 295 all out.