Durham beat Division One leaders Yorkshire to close the gap at the top of the LV= County Championship to 5.5 points with a game in hand. There were also wins for Division Two front-runners Lancashire and promotion outsiders Worcestershire.
6:18pm - RESULT! Gloucestershire (254 & 355/6) draw with Essex (400 & 285/4d) at Bristol - Tom Smith and Will Gidman add 49 for the seventh wicket before the sides shake hands with Gloucestershire 77 runs short of victory. The result leaves third-placed Essex 44 points behind the promotion places, albeit with a game in hand on the top two.
6:08pm -Derbyshire close day three on 231 for seven, 161 in front of Surrey, with Tom Poynton on 29 and David Wainwright 22. There will surely be an exciting last day at the Kia Oval in the meeting of Division One’s bottom two?
Derbyshire 220-7...4 overs left today...lead by 150
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) August 31, 2013
5:44pm - RESULT! Durham (573 & 120/3) defeat Yorkshire (274 & 419 f/o) by seven wickets at Scarborough - Will Smith and Ben Stokes ease Durham to victory with more than 10 overs to spare to reduce Yorkshire’s lead at the top of Division One to 5.5 points, and they have a game in hand over the White Rose. We’re in for a thrilling last month at the top of the championship.
5:35pm - Adil Rashid bowls Borthwick for 65, bur Durham need just 18 more to win.
Gloucestershire have battened down the hatches in search of a draw and Derbyshire are still seven down.
Jennings gone! He's been caught at short-leg by Jaques off Rashid for 17. 72-2.
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) August 31, 2013
5:09pm - Roderick is caught behind off Graham Napier for 136 and Reece Topley has Benny Howell lbw for nought to make Gloucestershire 306 for six as they chase 432 to beat Essex, who are the more likely victors now.
5:02pm - Borthwick eases to a fifty from 61 balls, moving Durham to 65 for one in the 16th over. They need 56 more to win from 38 overs in all.
Gareth Batty has Peter Burgoyne held at slip, leaving Derbyshire 113 ahead with three wickets left.
WICKET Hamish Marshall caught at mid-off by Gautam Gambhir off Reece Topley for 42. 304 for 4 and 128 needed from 22 overs.
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) August 31, 2013
4:53pm - RESULT! Sussex (311 & 394/9d) draw with Warwickshire (394) at Edgbaston - The sides shake hands with the game heading for a draw.
4:50pm - RESULT! Leicestershire (274 & 248) lose to Worcestershire (338 & 185/1) by nine wickets at Grace Road - Moeen Ali picks up the winning run to finish unbeaten on 63, with Pardoe ending on 76 not out.
4:34pm - Moeen wants a quick finish it seems. He sends James Sykes to the boundary for four, then crashes a maximum to reach 50. He then finds four more runs off the last ball of the over, leaving Worcestershire just 21 runs short of victory.
4:31pm - Worcestershire need just 35 more runs to complete the victory. The in-form Moeen Ali is on 40, while Pardoe has gone on to 72. Their partnership is worth 92.
Wicket. @yozza18 is trapped lbw by Tremlett for 1. Derbyshire 167-6 (77.3 overs); Poynton 0*. Lead by 97 runs.
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) August 31, 2013
4:19pm - Richard Johnson falls for Derbyshire as he is bowled by Zafar Ansari for 27; their lead is 97 with five wickets in hand. Sussex lose another, with Steve Magoffin out for nought.
4:15pm - Durham have recovered from losing Mark Stoneman to the first ball. Scott Borthwick and Keaton Jennings - who both failed to score in the first innings - have steered them to 30 for one, 91 runs short of victory.
4:12pm - Gareth Roderick reaches his second first-class hundred with a four off Tymal Mills. It took the 22-year-old 157 balls. Sussex are now eight down with Ateeq Javid accounting for Chris Jordan.
4:08pm - Wayne Madsen's watchful knock ends in the third over after the tea interval, trapped lbw by Chris Tremlett, while Matthew Pardoe completes a fifty for Worcestershire.
Not the start we were after. @mark26stone is dismissed first ball!
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) August 31, 2013
3:50pm - As promised, here are the teatime scores. All games, bar Surrey versus Derbyshire, are in the last day:
Division One
Second-placed Durham need 121 from 38 overs to beat leaders Yorkshire at Scarborough.
Sussex are 363 for seven, an advantage of 280 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Derbyshire are 153 for three in their second innings on day three at the Kia Oval, a lead of 81 over Surrey .
Division Two
Leaders Lancashire beat Hampshire by 122 runs at Southport.
Gloucestershire are 206 for three at Bristol, having been set 432 to win by Essex .
Worcestershire are 105 for one, requiring 185 to beat Leicestershire at Grace Road.
3:42pm - Tea is taken at all five continuing games. Scores from each will follow shortly.
Roderick on 81 felled by an express delivery from Mills that hit him on the side of the head. Recovered after lengthy treatment 200-3
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) August 31, 2013
3:33pm - Borthwick snares Jack Brooks for nought to dismiss Yorkshire on 419. Durham need 121 to win from 38 overs.
Worcestershire reach three figures for the loss of just Mitchell as they pursue 185 for victory over Leicestershire.
Plunkett gone! He's been caught at second slip by Stokes off Borthwick for well made 42. 419-9. Lead of 120. Loads of time left.
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) August 31, 2013
3:20pm - Wayne Madsen raises a fifty for Derbyshire, who are 65 in front of Surrey at 165 for three, and Panesar has Alex Gidman stumped to leave Gloucestershire 196 for three as they chase an unlikely 432.
3:09pm - Scott Borthwick has Sidebottom caught behind for nine after a 53-run alliance dominated by Plunkett. Yorkshire are 111 ahead with two wickets remaining.
3pm - RESULT! Lancashire (421 & 284/5) beat Hampshire (210 & 373) by 122 runs at Southport - Simon Kerrigan has Brad Taylor stumped for 20 for figures of 4-97 and to halt a sprightly last-wicket partnership of 53 with James Tomlinson, who was unbeaten on 30. The Red Rose are all but promoted.
2:56pm - A flurry of wickets to report as Matthew Hoggard bowls Mitchell for 35, making Worcestershire 62 for one, Monty Panesar dismisses Klinger for 62 in the same way, ending a stand of 137 with Roderick, and Recordo Gordon ousts Matt Machan for 27.
2:50pm - Gareth Batty has Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw for 14, putting Derbyshire three down with a second-innings lead of 50, and Jeetan Patel likewise snares Hamilton-Brown for 75.
2:34pm - Two deliveries after Wheater goes, ending a 191-run partnership, Luis Reece, the eighth bowler used by Lancashire, cleans up Coles for 68 to leave Hampshire nine down.
Liam Plunkett and Ryan Sidebottom are digging in for Yorkshire, who are playing for a draw now.
WICKET!!!!!!! Kerrigan strikes and Wheater goes for 140. Cross with the catch behind.
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) August 31, 2013
2:21pm - Michael Klinger’s outstanding summer continues with another fifty, soon after which Gloucestershire are 155 for one with another 277 needed to win.
This stand between Wheater (138*) and Coles (68*) is now worth 189 runs which is the second highest partnership of any wicket v Lancashire
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) August 31, 2013
2:17pm - Keith Barker traps Ed Joyce in front for 68, halting an alliance of 106 with Hamilton-Brown as Sussex lead by 215 with five wickets left.
2:11pm - Adam Wheater and Matt Coles are still there for Hampshire while Daryl Mitchell and Matthew Pardoe give Worcestershire a solid start in their pursuit of 185.
1:53pm - Sussex’s Rory Hamilton-Brown and Gloucestershire’s Gareth Roderick reach fifties before Ben Stokes has Gary Ballance caught behind for 26, leaving Yorkshire seven down while just 58 ahead.
1:45pm - Wickets fall just after lunch at Scarborough and the Kia Oval as Chris Rushworth ousts Adil Rashid for one and Tim Linley bowls Paul Borrington for 39, ending a stand of 51 with Wayne Madsen.
1:05pm - That's lunch at our games around the country. Here's how things stand following the morning session:
Division One
Leaders Yorkshire lead second-placed Durham by 52 runs having reached 351 for five at Scarborough.
Sussex are 264 for four, a lead of 163 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Derbyshire are 80 for one in their second innings on day three at the Kia Oval, a lead of 10 runs over Surrey .
Division Two
Lancashire still need three wickets to wrap up victory at Southport, with Hampshire reaching 282 for seven as they chase 496.
Gloucestershire are 115 for one in their second innings at Bristol, having been set 432 to win by Essex .
Worcestershire require 185 to win after bowling out Leicestershire for 248 at Grace Road.
12:59pm - Matthew Hoggard is trapped lbw and Leicestershire are all out for 248. Worcestershire require 185 to win.
12:57pm - Ed Joyce rounds off a watchful morning by completing a fifty from 120 balls. Sussex are 163 runs ahead, but would need to significantly up the pace if they are planning a declaration at some point.
12:50pm - Durham make a prized scalp 10 minutes before lunch as Chris Rushworth accounts for Bairstow. Yorkshire lead by 50 with five wickets in hand.
12:46pm - Wheater records a fifth first-class hundred with his 18th four of the innings. He then sends Kyle Hogg to the boundary again, before handing the strike to Coles who picks up two runs to reach a fifty.
Official word re @MAWood33 from Durham CCC physio: he has a left side strain & will have scans Mon to assess severity.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) August 31, 2013
12:39pm - Klinger and Gareth Roderick have taken their partnership past 50 and Gloucestershire's total beyond 100. They need a further 330 runs to win; Essex require nine wickets.
12:29pm - Eckersley is cleaned up by Shantry, bringing his knock to an end on 119. Leicestershire lead by 168 with one wicket left.
Four from Coles (39*) moves this partnership with Wheater (87*) past the hundred mark. Hampshire now 237-7
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) August 31, 2013
12:21pm - Jack Shantry picks up his third wicket of the innings to remove Ollie Freckingham for four. Leicestershire's lead is currently at 167.
12:17pm - Lancashire's frustration continues, with Coles and Wheater still at the crease. Their partnership is up to 86, with Wheater 22 runs away from a century.
Yorkshire are steadily rebuilding after the trio of early wickets. Bairstow and Ballance have stretched the lead to 31, with the former on 29.
11:59am - Recordo Gordon finally makes the breakthrough for Warwickshire, trapping Beer lbw. Sussex lead by 109 with six wickets remaining.
11:55am - Durham take the new ball and Jamie Harrison strikes immediately to remove Gale. Bairstow is joined by Gary Ballance at the crease.
11:46am - Alan Richardson ends Leicestershire's seventh-wicket partnership, trapping Sykes lbw. Worcestershire trail by 148 and will hope to skittle out their remaining opponents quickly.
11:41am - Wheater completes a fifty with his ninth four of the innings. The 23-year-old took 104 balls to reach the milestone.
Yorkshire are in front with a lovely cover drive from Bairstow off Borthwick. 303-3. four ahead.
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) August 31, 2013
11:34am - Reece Topley makes the breakthrough for Essex as he traps Dent leg before. Gloucestershire are 43 for one.
Sussex are making steady progress at Edgbaston. Will Beer and Ed Joyce have extended their lead to 96 this morning.
11:31am - Ben Slater sends Tim Linley to the ropes twice in succession, but the bowler has the last laugh when he has the Derbyshire opener caught at point.
Ned Eckersley hits a 12th boundary of his innings to reach a second century of the match. His partnership with James Sykes is now worth 89, much to Worcestershire's frustration.
11:22am - I think Dent was luring everyone into a false sense of security with that early maximum. In the five overs since, he and Michael Klinger have only added a further eight runs.
Lancashire are still waiting for a breakthrough at Southport, with Adam Wheater and Matt Coles both being watchful.
11:18am - It's the start Durham will have dreamed of last night. Jaques can add just one to his overnight total before being caught behind off Stokes. Jonny Bairstow, who offered admirable resistance in Yorkshire's first innings, joins Andrew Gale at the crease.
11:12am - Heartbreak for Williamson; delight for Durham. The New Zealand international falls three runs short of a maiden ton for Yorkshire as he hits Stokes straight to Will Smith at gully.
11:07am - Will Gloucestershire chase an unlikely 432 to win or will they attempt to bat out the day? Well, Chris Dent hits the fifth ball of the day for six. Hold on to your hats.
11:01am - Paul Collingwood opens for Durham and Williamson helps himself to a single, before hitting Ben Stokes for four in the following over to move to 95.
10:45am - It is indeed set up to be an exhilarating day at Scarborough. Durham are chasing a win that would put them right into contention for the championship, while the White Rose could put serious pressure on by building a big total and then challenging their opponents to chase it down later on. Phil Jaques will continue on 151, while Kane Williamson is 10 runs short of a ton.
At the top of Division Two Lancashire are favourites to secure victory today while third-placed Essex need 10 wickets to keep the pressure on the Red Rose and Northamptonshire, who secured victory against Glamorgan yesterday.
Day four to start on time at 11am. Could be an exciting day at Scarborough.
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) August 31, 2013
10:30am - Good morning and welcome to ecb.co.uk's live text coverage of today's LV= County Championship action. We have five games entering their final day, with the clash between Surrey and Derbyshire beginning its third.
Here's the current state of play:
Division One
Leaders Yorkshire are 276 for one following on at Scarborough, a deficit of 23 against second-placed Durham.
Sussex will continue on 148 for three, a lead of 65 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Derbyshire are 13 without loss in their second innings at the Kia Oval, 57 runs behind Surrey .
Division Two
Lancashire need three wickets to wrap up victory at Southport, with Hampshire still trailing by 358 on 137 for seven.
Gloucestershire resume on 19 without loss in their second innings at Bristol, having been set 432 to win by Essex .
Leicestershire are 190 for six against Worcestershire at Grace Road, a lead of 126.