George Dobell at Warwickshire (201 and 47-5) v Essex (369 for 9 dec)

It’s taken Harmer (who bowled one over last night) only four balls to strike this morning. Woakes attempted to turn one into the legside and could only guide it to leg slip where Ravi Bopara took a good catch. It might take until tomorrow – and the Lancashire result - until Essex can be confirmed as champions but there’s nothing in Birmingham going to stop or even delay them.

George Dobell at Warwickshire (201 and 32-4) v Essex (369 for 9 dec)

This could be over very quickly. Both Bell and Trott have gone to Sam Cook leaving Warwickshire facing the prospect of an innings defeat for the fifth time this season. Lamb has been dropped, too, guiding one to third slip off Cook, but Tom Westley put down the chance. Trott played on, a little gap between bat and pad allowing the ball to roll back on the stumps, before Bell received a good one that nipped back off the pitch and took the glove or an edge. We’ve some fine bowling from Cook and Porter, with the odd one moving away and others going on with the angle. Perfect seam-bowling conditions.