Stumps at the final game ,at OT, the sun rapidly setting. Warm applause from the Gloucestershire dressing room for what be a vital partnership of 32 between Drahriwal and Taylor at the end. Glos lead by 196. No idea what will happen tomorrow but we’ll be here to find out. Thanks for your sparky company, have a lovely evening.

Right, with bright sunshine suddenly at OT, and as Balderson knees-up head boy-style races in for over no. 10, time for me to start to write up for the paper. Still 22 overs left here – it could be all over. BTL remains open for cold flannels.

Another one bites the dust, a sprinting Stanley collects one on the run as Ahmed has a ineffectual swish at Walkden. Glos 63-6. Actually, 63-7, Stanley sprinting and grabbing again, this time at mid-off, as Kishore decides attack is the best survival.

A fruitful Indian summer, and a second century partnership of the match,for Thomas and Lammonby at Grace Road. Somerset 112-0 lead Leicestershire by 318 already.

At OT, George Balderson rolls into over number eight of this spell. An unthreatening approach and smiling figure hides a September destroyer of batting. Glos 59-5, a lead of 137.

Make that Cooke and Crane to bat to the close. (Barnard three for 13).

Glamorgan are subsiding. !uickly. Barnard, Woakes, Hannon-Dalby, Hannon-Dalby, Barnard. Dickson and Cooke to bat to the close. Glamorgan 49-5.

Stanley has limped off the pitch, so Walkden takes his place at the JA end.

Stanley joins the party as Bracey, after double centuries last week, bends his back in frustration after edging behind. Gone for 13. And Dhariwal and Ahmed find themselves back in the middle again. Glos 43-5 lead by 121.

Crazy days, a fourth for Balderson, who now has an incredible four for six. Phillips plays what looks a straightish shot but loses his off stump. Balderson gets a hearty, grateful, repeated back pat from Jimmy. Eighteen wickets so far today at OT.

An email arrives with a brisk clunk from the Guardian’s Philip Cornwall in the office. “It was kind of you to point out the day was going in Northamptonshire’s favour, with the county building a first-innings lead and Kent a deficit. But in light of events at Old Trafford, the pessimist in me has to point out that Kent get to play their jokers in the last two rounds: Lancashire at home then Gloucestershire at home. Northants host Derbyshire then head to Lord’s, a mid-table double.”

This is a very good point. And actually Northants have collapsed, losing four for 13, resting uneasily at 254-8, a lead of 54 over Worcs. Over at the County ground Kent, a first-innings deficit of 81, have Derbyshire 15-1, a fifth of the match for Mahmud .

As you probably know, Somerset didn’t enforce the follow-on. And Thomas and Lammonby are continuing where they left off, albeit a little more slowly. Somerset 46-0, the lead 252.

No hat-trick for Balderson but he is suddenly dynamite.

I sat in the sun and watched two overs of Jimmy Anderson from the Jimmy Anderson end because, well, you never know. He still looks as ageless as ever, from his rhythmic run to the way he flicked a spec of dust from the pitch in irritation. In the time it took me to walk back to the press box George Balderson took two wickets to take him to 50 for the season. And there’s the third, Hammond lbw for 0. Three in an over. Gl0s 12-3.

Two in two! Six for Williams, a career best 6-24. Anderson lbw. Lancs 134 all out, the sixth first-innings of less than 200 in a row. Gloucestershire, spring in step, clap Williams off as a sole groundsman walks towards the middle with brush and dustpan.

Thanks to Ken Grime for telling us that Will Williams’ 4 for 20 are his best figures at Old Trafford.

Tea at Sophia Gardens too, where Kai Smith is stranded on 49 not out as Warwickshire are bundled gently escorted out for 391. Cover your eyes time for Glamorgan fans.

Leicestershire’s week started badly and is getting worse, all out for 157, with narry a batting point to put in their pocket (with a hole). Three wickets each for Overton and Ball. Will Somerset enforce the follow on? They’ve taken tea while they chew it over.

After a cracking little innings of 39, and partnership of 66, Balderson fences Ahmed to cover. Changed the momentum that innings, a real breath of fresh air. Oooof though Noman Ali is a whisker away from edging his first ball. Lancs 109-7

New Zealander Fraser Sheat has nipped the top off a blossoming Kent recovery, removing Bens Brown and Mayes. Hants 175-6, still a bit away from the follow-on.

I imagine this was a frightening experience for Pakistan’s young cricketers.

I ima

At last, Yorkshire are all out. Critchley polishing off the tail. Bess undefeated again, on 80, all these not outs doing wonders for his batting average. Essex need batting points.

Langridge loses his radar a little and that’s a beautiful off drive by Balderson for four. Lancs 76-6 under lights at OT, as Pakistan are bowled out for 133 under lights at Edgbaston.

Kent have shuffled along to 155-7, but only have tailenders left to trowel them a little closer to Derbyshire’s 300. Four for Aitchison, three for Randell.

Walkden swishes his bat after pushing at Williams (3-13) for a neat-footed Bracey to collect. Lancs 45-6.

Essex are having one of those nightmares when the lions are coming but the feet don’t move. Yorkshire from 139-5 are 372-8. Dom Bess, who made 44 not out against Surrey and 40 not out against Hampshire in the last few weeks, is 71 not out . Yadav hit 36 before being c and b Critchley. Cliff is his latest partner.

And now Harris, Taylor nipping one back twixt bat and pad. Lancs 40-5.

A tall slim figure is walking off the pitch at OT, Williams nipping a nut past Flintoff’s askew inside edge. Lancashire 40-4.

A post lunch wicket at Grace Road, Kelly disgruntled to be given out lbw for 39 to Overton. Leics 121-6.

Chris Woakes is making the most of some Kiran Carlson filler, with consecutive boundaries. Warwicks 330-6, the lead 261, which, and I hate to say it, I think it probably enough.

Some disturbing reports from Portsmouth where there seem to have been protests outside the Marriott hotel by people who thought the Pakistan U19 team were migrants. We’ll have more on the story soon.

If Lancs get through to lunch three down it will be a small miracle, Williams and Langridge bowling beauties.

Jennings snaffled at second slip off his old mucker Will Williams. Lancs 16-3.

Leicestershire struggling too, 79 for five. A couple for Jake Ball.

As are Middlesex, still 96 behind Durham and six down, Higgins (8) just scooped up at first slip by McKinney, who ended up doing a backwards roll in the process.

A tricky ball, pitches middle, jags back , another beauty from Langridge (on loan from Somerset). Harry Singh on his way for 0.

Lancs last five first-innings scores have all been below 200, which is the worst run since 1962, when they finished 16th, just above Leicestershire. (The worst run is ten first-innings scores below 200 in 1958).

The skies are greying over OT, and Hurst got a beauty from Langridge which he nibbled behind. Lancs 8-1.

In Division One:

Warwickshire’s lead over Glamorgan is 171 already, Sam Hain’s unbeaten 61 leading the way. Warwicks 240-4. A couple of wickets for Ben Kellaway.

Leicestershire are subsiding at Grace Road, no hundred for Rehan Ahmed sadly, and only seven for young Hamza Shaikh. Leics 54-4.

Hampshire had enjoyed a good morning, but have just lost Albert and Gubbins with the score on 73, a wicket each for Pennington and Giles. Hants 79-3 trail Notts by 298.

Surrey have picked away at Sussex at Hove and removed both openers. Sussex 86-2.

Yorkshire have passed 300 at Headingley, forties from Hill and Bess frustrating Essex who are yet to be joined by Sam Cook and have lost Jamie Porter midway through the morning to injury. Yorks 303-7.

Langridge, headband, under lights, runs in from the Brian Statham end. Three slips, hands on knees wait.

With an hour gone, time to wander around the grounds. In Division Two:

Kent are wobbling, 67-3, but young Bertie Foreman is still there on 33. Sam Northeast out cheaply. Kent trail Derby by 232.

A super catch by Jennings at slip gives Stanley a second wicket and bowls out Gloucestershire for 212.

Middlesex are holding up against Durham, 118-3, trail by 134, Holden last out for 43. Two wickets for Carse.

And Taylor and Finch have made early inroads into Northants, 63-2 after Worcs were all out for 200.

Leicestershire 37-2, both to one-man-brass-band Lewis Gregory. I’d really love to see Rehan Ahmed (16) make a century here. He was so so good last year, my favourite player to watch.

“Morning, Tanya.” Good morning Max Bonnell! ( I loved Father Marriot’s Summer Holiday by the way, such a good read).

“Serious question: only a few seasons back Lancashire was pressing for the Division One title. How have they managed to become so bad at cricket, so quickly?”

That’s a question! In short: injuries, loss of form for senior pros, loss of confidence, strange management, odd signings, bad luck. For more details, see BTL!

Anderson at slip leaps like a lampost and holds on, giving Mitch Stanley his first wicket of the innings. Williams trudges away for four, Gloucs 183-8.

James Rew was last man out for Somerset (61); Sheridon Gumbs is first man out for Leicestershire (0). Leics 5-1.

Unfortunately it wasn’t a rubicon that Crawley crossed with that eighty the other week, Ben Aitchisoned for 6. Kent 22-2, surely they won’t let it slip out of their grasp now?

Sussex won the toss at Hove and bat first, perhaps not wanting to risk Surrey’s Indian left-arm spinner Mahipal Lomror batting fourth. They’ve nudged along to 16-0.

We’ve just been pondering the strange career of Tom Hartley, who didn’t play for his Hundred franchise, isn’t wanted in the Championship side, but is now playing for the England Lions. I hope he finds his way. And that’s a fourth wicket for the hard-working Balderson, Kishore bowled for 20. Gloucs 171-7.

Noman Ali gets one over this morning, after not bowling at all at Merchant Taylor’s and barely bowling at Worcester.

A good scattering of people in at OT for a dead match in September. From the Jimmy Anderson end, JimmyAnderson.

And the unstoppable Kyle Abbott, after Notts got away from Hampshire at Trent Bridge.

“When you win the toss and bowl on that pitch with lights on, you frankly should do better. We were quite far off mark and I’m pretty disappointed to be honest.

“It was the most grass I’ve seen on a pitch in quite some while. But we’d kind of expected it, I suppose. Notts are champions and at the top while we’ve not had a great summer so they have the right, really. The par for that pitch was probably between 160 and 180, maybe 200 once the ball got softer.

“Amongst it all in a disappointing season I’ve enjoyed it because of the younger boys. We are not short of effort or commitment and the skills should come. I’m trying to help as much as I can with that.”

Ethan Bamber, whose five wickets ripped through Glamorgan’s top order as they were bowled out for 69, spoke last night:

“I got a good amount of good fortune. The pitch seamed a bit, I think just repeat good balls actually I was lucky to return those figures, I didn’t bowl my best at all. There was a lot down leg-side, a lot of half-volleys and a wicket off a no ball but there was enough good stuff in between.

“It’s a slow wicket and on those surfaces you get a bit of moisture then they dry out and we’re lucky they did a bit early on and it’ll get easier.”

Here’s Ali’s preview of the final Test of the summer, starting at Edgbaston at 11 (I wonder why they don’t start at 10.30?)