Essex 314 and 24 for 0 lead Surrey 240 by 98 runs

Essex and Surrey were left frustrated at rain-swept Chelmsford where only 6.4 overs were possible across two brief spells on day three.

Essex have now lost an accumulated 458 overs to the weather in their first four LV= Insurance County Championship rounds - the equivalent of an entire four-day match.

There were two interruptions inside the first half-an-hour, the second of which proved terminal. Just nine runs were added in the 22 minutes possible, though play was not officially called off until 4.23pm. The forecast, however, is more promising for the final day, with Essex pushing to inflict a first defeat of the season on the champions.

Play had started promptly at 11am as Essex looked to extend their 76-run first-innings lead after dismissing Surrey for 240 at the end of the second day. Nick Browne turned the first ball from Kemar Roach to third man for three runs, then Alastair Cook saw out the next four balls before the players headed back to the pavilion as the first shower struck.

They were back six minutes later for a longer stint during which the Essex openers added a further six runs - Cook crashing a wide delivery from Gus Atkinson through the covers for four - taking them to 24 without loss, a lead of 98 runs.

However, the first-wicket partnership did not survive without alarm. Roach, who had bowled well without reward in the first innings, beat the outside of Browne's bat on several occasion, while a mid-pitch mix-up between the pair could have resulted in a run-out with a more accurate throw.