Warwickshire continued their hugely impressive start to the LV= County Championship season as Jonathan Trott led them to a total of 545 against Sussex at Hove.
The England batsman advanced from his overnight 132 to 178, from 314 balls with 27 fours, and put on 110 for the seventh wicket with Tim Ambrose (75) before Rikki Clarke (78 not out) added 101 for the last two wickets with Keith Barker (33) and Jeetan Patel (16) to take the Bears well beyond 500.
Chris Nash took three for 44 for a toiling home attack but made only 18 as Sussex reached 57 for two in reply, Ed Joyce the other man out as New Zealand spinner Patel recorded amazing figures of 7-5-2-1.
Worcestershire struggled to 72 for six on an abridged second day against Nottinghamshire at New Road.
Openers Daryl Mitchell (24) and Michael Klinger (22) were the only batsmen to get starts as Andre Adams picked up four for 23 before bad light ended play.
Vernon Philander claimed three wickets for six runs in eight overs before rain washed out most of the second day between Somerset and Lancashire at Taunton.
The South Africa seamer helped reduce Lancashire from an overnight 363 for four to 395 for nine as Somerset collected maximum bowling points, having performed poorly on the opening day.
One of Philander's victims was Steven Croft, who failed to add to his overnight 113.
For the second successive day no play was possible in Surrey's match against Durham at the Kia Oval and with more rain forecast, the ground is facing its first four-day washout since the match against Sussex in 2007.
It was the same story at Bristol, where Gloucestershire's Division Two clash with Glamorgan has yet to get under way.Elsewhere in the second division, Northamptonshire seamer Jack Brooks gave notice of his exciting potential with four for 22 once play finally began against Essex at Chelmsford.
The hosts will have been left wishing the rain had continued all day after they crashed to 16 for four and 25 for five before Mark Pettini (16no) helped them reach 54 for six by the close.
Yorkshire were struggling against Kent for the second time in the first three games of their return to Division Two.
Having salvaged a weather-assisted draw in the opening game of the season, the Tykes were bowled out for 247 yesterday and saw Kent advance to 316 for six in reply.
West Indies batsman Brendon Nash was unbeaten on 114 as his side led by 69 despite two wickets apiece for Ryan Sidebottom and Ajmal Shahzad.
Hampshire were making good progress towards Leicestershire's first innings total at Southampton.
Leicestershire resumed on 159 for six and Ned Eckersley and Wayne White put on 51 for the eighth wicket as they reached 234 before being bowled out, Liam Dawson taking five for 29.
He then fell for 19 and opening partner Sean Terry for a duck, but Michael Carberry's unbeaten 73 took Hampshire to 181 for four despite the loss of Simon Katich (54) and James Vince (five) in quick succession.
