[themaclad]

Excellent performance to get up to nearly 300 shame Hameed didn't get his ton but working our way steadily through the Essex line up, zero chance of victory for either team.

Specsavers County Championship Division One, Emirates Old Trafford (day three):
Lancashire 290: Hameed 88; Porter 5-73
Essex 115-4: Chopra 40; McLaren 2-21
Lancs 3pts, Essex 3pts
Essex trail by 175 runs with 6 wickets remaining
Scorecard

Lancashire added valuable lower-order runs to post 290 all out against Essex before reducing the Division One leaders to 115-4 at Old Trafford.

Jamie Porter (5-73) completed a five-wicket haul by removing Lancashire opener Haseeb Hameed (88), who added only three to his overnight score.

Tom Bailey (34 not out) and Kyle Jarvis (26) put on 57 for the 10th wicket.

Captain Varun Chopra (40) top-scored for the visitors and Ravi Bopara added 34 but Lancashire ended the day on top.

Stephen Parry had Bopara caught at slip just before the tea interval, after which no further play was possible because of rain.

With bad weather also preventing any play on day one, a draw looks the most likely result between the two Championship title challengers.

Unbeaten Essex began the match 36 points clear of second-placed Lancashire, with both teams having three more matches to play this season.