Tawanda Muyeye tailored a maiden double century of sparkling quality to lift Kent from the depths of the doldrums to a lead of 77 and a hair’s breadth of a chance going into the final day. Muyeye, who came to England as a refugee from Zimbabwe, was in sparkling form, threading the innings together with stout support from Harry Finch, and jigging with joy as he reached 200. He was finally caught for 211 off 279 balls in the final over of the day. “Some of the boys have never seen me that happy because I’m usually quite reserved and quite quiet,” he said afterwards. “I struggled a lot [this season] and I just never ever saw any light at the end of the tunnel…for me to play like that over the last two days has made me so happy.”

Nineteen-year-old Daniel Hogg grabbed four wickets on his first-class debut to help Durham stride towards victory at Chester-le-Street. Hogg was given the new ball in the absence of Neil Wagner with a shoulder injury, and chipped away as Notts were asked to follow on. A doughty partnership of 96 between Matthew Montgomery and Jack Haynes frustrated Durham in the afternoon, but an evening wobble left Notts still 90 runs adrift with only four wickets remaining.

Runs a-go-go at Bristol where both Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey made delightful career-best double centuries. The pair enjoyed Leicestershire’s bowling on a pancake pitch during a stand of 290. It was Bracey’s fourth century of a prolific summer.

On-loan spinner Jack Morley gave Derbyshire real hope of a red-ball win at home for the first time since August 2019. Morley grabbed three for 35 to leave Glamorgan seven wickets down and still 25 runs behind. Meanwhile Yorkshire could smell salty victory at Scarborough, though Sussex fought valiantly. They need another 75 to win, eight wickets left.

Alex Davies smashed an unbeaten 109 at a damp Edgbaston to give Warwickshire a lead of 277 going into the final day, though thoughts of a declaration might be muddied by the memory of Somerset chasing down 410 at their previous meeting. Rain continued to thwart Essex’s hopes down in Southampton. Tom Westley declared at 438 for eight but Toby Albert and Nick Gubbins then drew the shutters for Hampshire. Only 10.2 overs were possible at The Oval where leaders Surrey winkled out Luke Wells.

DIVISION ONE

New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 171 and 353-8

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 179-5 v Somerset 239

The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 26-1

Southampton: Hampshire 40-1 v Essex 438-8dec

Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 229 and 212-6

DIVISION TWO

Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 250-7 v Northamptonshire 207 no play on Saturday.

North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 and 28-2 v Sussex 189 and 239

County Ground: Derbyshire 429 v Glamorgan 168 and 236-7

Bristol: Gloucestershire 544-4dec v Leicestershire 402 and 41-0

A maiden 150 becomes a maiden double century! A smashing innings and the second double century of the round.

Bracey still unbeaten on 163, Glos 476-4.

22 overs left. Good luck Lancashire babes in the wood.

Who needs Zak Crawley?! Muyeye has slowed down a little, though not much. Has found a doughty partner in Finch (24 off 82) too. Kent 239-4, trailing Worcs only by 37. The forecast for New Road tomorrow? Game on. Sunny spells to start but cloud arriving in the morning, which could provide isolated light showers. Some brightness emerging into the afternoon. Another blustery day and still feeling rather cool. Maximum temperature 18 °C.

DIVISION ONE

New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 171 and 221-4

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 83-2 v Somerset 239

The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 4-0 no play yet today

Southampton: Hampshire v Essex 404-8 no play yet today

Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 229 and 125-4

DIVISION TWO

Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 250-7 v Northamptonshire 207 no play on Saturday.

North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 v Sussex 189 and 164-4

County Ground: Derbyshire 429 v Glamorgan 168 and 153-3

Bristol: Gloucestershire 390-3 v Leicestershire 402

Now the highest scorer in both innings. A considerable obstacle to Yorkshire’s victory march. Sussex now 12 runs in front.

In Division One, Warwicks are rebuilding after losing Yates and Rhodes cheaply, 59-2, a lead of 157 over Somerset. And at CLS, Notts are in big trouble (especially with no play yet at The Oval), now four down, still 178 behind.

His fourth of what has been a cracking season – Gloucestershire having fun on the best pitch of the round, now 380-3, just 22 behind Leicestershire. Young Charlesworth just a sniff away from a double-century as well.

Persistent drizzle rules out any Saturday action for Middlesex or Northants.

Definitely not going down quietly. A second hundred of his career for the rather magnificent Tawanda Muyeye – 14 fours, two sixes. He celebrates with a little bow. A much better effort by Kent this time around – 163 for three, but still 112 behind Worcestershire.

In the light of Zimbabwe’s Test next year, I did a quick google. At 15, Muyeye was a reserve for Zimbabwe’s 2018 U19 World Cup squad.

With thanks to BTL (keep them coming).

Retirements: Joe Leach (Worcestershire)

Transfers: Northamptonshire’s Emilio Gay to join Durham on three-year deal, Warwickshire’s Will Rhodes to join him at Chester le Street at the end of the season; Mason Crane has signed for Glamorgan for three years after being there on loan; Middlesex’s Ethan Bamber to join Warwickshire on a three-year deal and his teammate Martin Andersson to join Derbyshire on a two-year deal, Durham’s Michael Jones to Lancashire on a three-year deal; Yorkshire’s Dom Leech to Northants on a three year deal; Yorkshire’s Matt Fisher to tbc (probably Surrey).

Coach/director of cricket movements: Ottis Gibson to leave Yorkshire.

DIVISION ONE

New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 171 and 104-2 no play yet today

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 27-1 v Somerset 239 no play yet today

The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 4-0 no play yet today

Southampton: Hampshire v Essex 404-8 no play yet today

Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 229 and 56-1

DIVISION TWO

Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 250-7 v Northamptonshire 207 no play yet today

North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 v Sussex 189 and 64-3

County Ground: Derbyshire 429 v Glamorgan 168 and 39-0 no play yet today

Bristol: Gloucestershire 227-3 v Leicestershire 402 no play yet today

Damp.

Play at CLS and Scarborough.

Inspection at 1pm at Derby, play due to start at Edgbaston at 1.50pm (weather permitting). Prospects elsewhere unknown.

With a first-innings lead of 302, Durham invite Notts to have another go. This is dangerous territory for Notts, sixth in the Division One table, but only 11 points lie between them and Worcs, who currently sit in the second relegation slot.

Four wickets for Wagner, two wickets each for Callum Parkinson and Ben Raine.

They’ve made it on to the field at CLS, but Durham are without their main strike bowler Neil Wagner, who is having an MRI scan after slipping and injuring his shoulder yesterday. Ben Raine has already removed Lyndon James, for 56, after Ollie Robinson (that one) dropped him off Callum Parkinson but caught him the next over. Notts 228-9, still a mountainous 303 behind.

As rain delays the start of play everywhere apart from Manchester (and for a brief period, Scarborough), an email drops from Tim Maitland. Good morning!

“As someone whose childhood was occasionally brightened by the sight of David Shepherd’s ample figure jiggling unfeasibly as he hopped superstitiously when the scoreboard ticked over to that magic number Nelson, I’ve been saddened to see that peculiarity drifting out of the game.

”But yesterday might have been the greatest day for Nelson since the Battle of Trafalgar: Jamie Smith’s maiden test century brutally cut short with three ones on the board and Surrey losing not one, but two wickets with quadruple Nelson up.

”The mind of Surrey captain Rory Burns must have been addled by the 348 balls he’d faced for his 237 runs, because declaring at 444-9 and denying Tom Hartley the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of a quadruple Nelson hat-trick was an act of rank cowardice that, in better times, would have been deserving of a court martial and a firing squad.”

With just a month or so of the season to go, please throw names my way for a comprehensive list.

This is my starter for ten:

Retirements: Joe Leach (Worcestershire)

Transfers: Northamptonshire’s Emilio Gay to join Durham on three-year deal, Warwickshire’s Will Rhodes to join him at Chester le Street at the end of the season; Mason Crane has signed for Glamorgan for three years after being there on loan; Middlesex’s Ethan Bamber to join Warwickshire on a three-year deal and his teammate Martin Andersson to join Derbyshire on a two-year deal.

It won’t be a surprise to Surrey fans how easily Jamie Smith has taken to Test cricket.

Bad news for Durham, Mark Wood won’t take the field today at the Old Trafford Test after picking up a thigh injury.

While Jamie Smith was making hay at Old Trafford, the country’s other wicketkeepers flexed their wrists in the County Championship.

Jonny Bairstow bristled with intent as he marched out like a soldier in burning boots at North Marine Road. His boundary-heavy 57 delighted supporters sitting on the wooden-slatted benches in the face of a mischievous wind, but he was one of five players to fall to Jack Carson, and his wicket precipitated a middle-order collapse. Still, Yorkshire have a valuable first-innings lead over Sussex.

Jordan Cox, released by England on the eve of the Test, slammed a vivacious 141 off just 124 balls on a slow Southampton pitch, after Essex were inserted by Hampshire’s James Vince. Cox took the tempo, which had been slow and steady in the hands of Dean Elgar and Tom Westley, and wrestled it into a galloping pony. Alongside, Elgar fashioned an elegant third hundred of the summer, finally out for 136. But with the first day lost to rain – and terrible weather predicted for Saturday – Essex will need the game to fast-forward on Sunday to keep leaders Surrey in near sight.

At the Oval, where Surrey ground Lancashire’s attack into flour, Ben Foakes made his highest score of the summer, a classy 82 against a rosy-cheeked attack of ingenues. But the drinks were on home side’s captain, Rory Burns, who hit a fluent and career best score of 227 as Surrey declared on 444. And James Rew made 49 at Edgbaston, bolstering Somerset’s middle order with Kasey Aldridge, but Ed Barnard’s five-fer ensured Warwickshire finished on top.

At the other end of the Division One table, Kent’s second innings started disastrously when Ben Compton was run out for a duck, though his opening partner Tawanda Muyeye finished unbeaten on 80. This after Worcestershire had knocked up a lead of 276, Akeem Jordan finishing with five wickets on his Kent debut.

DIVISION ONE

New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 171 and 104-2

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 27-1 v Somerset 239

The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 4-0

Southampton: Hampshire v Essex 404-8

Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 220-8

DIVISION TWO

Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 250-7 v Northamptonshire 207

North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 v Sussex 189 and 26-0

County Ground: Derbyshire 429 v Glamorgan 168 and 39-0

Bristol: Gloucestershire 227-3 v Leicestershire 402

Good Saturday morning to you! Hope your Friday night was worth waiting for. Around the grounds, time to push on as day three dawns.

If you’re rolling along to the Test at Old Trafford, the weather is perky, for now. If you’re heading elsewhere, bring waterproofs. The Met Office’s comforting words: Heavy rain moves across the south through the morning, clearing the southeast by the afternoon. Sunshine and heavy showers follow, with winds increasing in the north to begin with but turning drier in the southwest later. Feeling cooler.