What a belting day, a bum-clencher at Taunton and Lancs falling at the feet of the Kent massive, as well as runs for Joe Root and Bean, Pujara and Handscomb. We’ll be back tomorrow at 10am – have a lovely evening. Bye!

Right. With Somerset three down, but in sight of victory; Jennings and Wells surviving the first 1.3 overs of the follow-on; Pujara 30 short of a century at Derby; Handscomb even close at Lord’s; and Bean (91) and Root (60) biffing Glamorgan around, time for me to write up for the paper. All eyes on OT and Taunton.

Here we go again: 29 overs left in the day, though the skies may see to that. Lancashire’s first innings lasted 30 overs. Agar 4-35; Gichrist 6-24. Only two scores in double figures – Hurst (36) and Wells (10).

And Hurst’s luck runs out, as he picks out Zak Crawley on the rope. Lancashire 83-9, still 178 behind. Gilchrist 5-19.

Porter gets in on the act at Taunton, Somerset 83-2.

A missive from Vic Marks: “it appears to have flattened out a bit.”

Hurst is having a swing at Agar – a top-edged six follows four, then he advances down the ground and shuffles him for four more. Agar looks strangely ruffled.

A wicket at Taunton, but shhhurely too late. Somerset 75-1, need only another 92 to win. Cook the wicket-taker, Renshaw lbw for 35.

“Would it be out of order for me to ask for an uppercase G on Greek (but
not god)?” asks Romeo. But of course. Gg picked up another while I went on an emergency press box run for chocolate, Bailey having a swish down the legside to donate another catch to Finch. Lancs 61-8.

With Armageddon at Old Trafford and Taunton suddenly a batting paradise, time for a cup of tea.

Parky is on.

Tom Hartley decides to try and lasso a wildebeest, gets an outside edge to first slip. Zak Crawley says thanks very much. Lancs 40-7. Gilchrist 4-11.

A third wicket for Gilchrist, Balderson, already given a working over, squared up, the edge scooped up at third slip. A despondent Balderson looks at his bat and almost shrugs. Lancs 38-6.

Some relief for Lancs as Agar is sent to chew the pasture for a while, as Stewart replaces him from the Statham end. Lancs 38-5. And no wickets down yet at Taunton, Somerset 15-0.

Agar sends one in the direction of Hurst’s head. Lancashire’s lowest score against Kent is 61, in 1884.

Bell has a possibly unwise leaden footed swish at Gichrist, the ball nips a bit, and he is caught behind. The skies suitably glowering, Lancs 35-5.

No hat-trick for Wes Agar, who is steaming in like a brooding Greek god. George Bell, then Balderson, survive three balls.

And another. And another! Lancs 30-4.

Agar two in two balls. Jennings caught behind off a beauty. Then Bruce sticks his pad forward brusquely and is sent on his way. Hat-trick ball…

In Division Two: Alsop (42) and Pujara carrying Sussex on their merry way, Sussex 133-2.

Four wickets for Bess and Moriarty at Headingley as Glamorgan all out 195. Bean and Lyth have eased along to 26-0.

And Peter Handscomb has fifty at Lord’s – Leics 183-6.

Here at OT the Kent slips all have their jumpers on. Bohannn fizzes a gorgeous drive for four, and is promptly bowled off an inside edge for nine.

Hmmm. Essex lose two on 137. Now eight down, the lead 165. Harmer and Snater to bash it around.

A tricky period for Lancashire here, but it could become easier as Gilchrist replaces Stewart at the James Anderson end.

Luke Wells and his shirt sleeves are no more – edging behind to second slip off Wes Agar. Lancs 15-1. Josh Bohannon bristles to the crease.

It’s all slowed down a bit at Taunton. Jordan Cox out for 27 – the fourth largest score of a match where the highest score is Westley’s 43 – Thain and Duke have stitched together 15 for the seventh wicket. Essex 133-6 – lead by 161, which would already be, if Somerset were to chase it, the highest score of the match.

Floodlights on at OT, Agar racing in, wearing a jumper. Wells, Eastborne born, Manchester acclimatised, in short shirt sleeves. Lancs 8-0.

There’s time for Evison to have one more swing for four, before Parky edges to the waiting fourth slip, Tom Hartley. Williams’ 200th first-class wicket. Kent all out 261. Evison 71 not out.

A nice round of applause for Matt Parkinson as he comes to the crease at Old Trafford with the wicket of Gilchrist. Four slips await. Bailey paws the ground.

Just come back from a tour of the ground, it’s bloody freezing. Spectators in thick coats, gloves and hats. Admirably stoical.

Jennings, Bruce, Bell, Hartley return to the slips as Evison takes a single with Lancs one short of a first batting point. It’s a gamble….but one Parky survives.

A thoughtful read on sport and disordered eating:

Nine from his first over, a wicket from his second. Nathan Lyon makes the breakthrough at Old Trafford, Wes Agar befuddled and bowled. Lyon’s 3-48 now his best Championship figures. Bowling in sunglasses despite the gloom. Kent 233-8.

They’re playing at Old Trafford, not a great deal to report. A wicket to Lewis Gregory at Taunton, Browne for 23. The Essex lead creeps up to 111.

Glamorgan now six down at Headingley, another wicket each for Moriarty and Bess – 182 for six; while at Lord’s Rehan Ahmed joins Peter Handscomb at the crease, Leics 86-4.

The stye in Sussex’s eye, Blair Tickner, winkled out at Derby for 47, but not until he’d added 68 with Jack Morley.

Saqib Mahmood warming up with Lancs. He’s been bowling well in the seconds, in spells of four or five overs, and easing his way back. I cross everything for him, we spoke to him pre-season and he seemed so down about his injuries, but desperate to play red ball again.

“It’s quite overwhelming to think that two years of my career have just sort of gone. I don’t want to have a third year like that,” he said.

“I still watch Test cricket more than I watch white-ball cricket, I still focus on it. As soon as I’ve got a red ball in hand I really love the things that come with it: trying to work batters out, the craft of bowling, things I pride myself on.

“Even the short experience I had in Test cricket, I didn’t want to give that up. It might feel like I’ve put a tick in the box by playing Test cricket but I feel I’ve got more to give in that format.”

Three wickets at Lord’s all of a sudden, what can Kimber and Handscomb do? Two wickets for Bamber, one for Higgins.

Another one bites the dust at Taunton, this time the first-innings top scorer Tom Westley. Brown and Cook the men in. The Essex lead 66.

A 12.30 start at Old Trafford, lunch at 1.10pm – 80 overs left in the day.

Actually only two of these in the 20 wickets to fall yesterday at Taunton.

Made the mistake of looking away from Taunton: Essex already 21-2, Elgar and Cook to Davey and Coverton.

At Old Trafford, the Lancashire players are kicking a ball around, a groundsman is brushing the pitch and they’re having an inspection at noon.

Jamie Porter sums up yesterday at Taunton:“The pitch is too slow to be dangerous in any way, but there clearly was not much time to prepare it and there was a lot of seam movement all day.

“I thought our batters did well to post 150-plus in the conditions and I was confident that if the bowlers hit the right areas, we would get our rewards.

“My plan was simply to concentrate on a line and length and let the pitch do the rest. I can’t see it playing much differently as the game progresses.

“It has been a great start to the season for me. The ball is coming out well an long may it continue.”

Delayed start at Old Trafford, whilst Middlesex have won the toss at Lord’s, and will field.

A snippet from Leeds courtesy of Graham Hardcastle. Yesterday was the first time since 2013 that Yorkshire have played two spinners in the same Championship match at Headingley – Bess and Moriarty. Adil Rashid and Azeem Rafiq were the 2013 pair, playing in an August draw against Warwickshire that season, striking once between them.

Level-headedness under pressure – Ali talks to Chris Jordan on Caribbean cross winds, reflex slip catches and more: