Northamptonshire finished day three of an enthralling contest against fellow LV County Championship promotion hopefuls Essex at Chelmsford on 39 for two - an overall lead of 85 runs.

With the first day's play completely washed out, Essex had declared on 253 for eight, conceding a first-innings lead of 46 to their opponents, in an attempt to give themselves a platform to fashion a victory bid and improve their own promotion prospects.

Essex lost half their side for only 128 but Ryan ten Doeschate invigorated the situation with a forcing half-century that spanned just 38 deliveries and included eight boundaries.

Together with James Foster, he eased his side away from their difficult position as the pair added an entertaining 89 for the sixth wicket before both departed in quick succession to Andrew Hall.

Foster, who had played vigilantly in support of his free-playing partner to reach 28, was undone by a delivery that found the edge of the bat to be caught at first slip.

In the bowler's next over, Ten Doeschate, having advanced to 75, swung the ball into the hands of deep fine leg to leave the hosts on 226 for seven.

David Masters fell to Monty Panesar, who bowled unchanged throughout the afternoon, but, following a boundary by Graham Napier that brought the second batting point, Essex declared immediately leaving their opponents with 18 overs and 65 minutes batting to endure.

Masters raised the Essex hopes with the wickets of Stephen Peters and Paul Harrison, who were both pinned in front of their stumps, but Niall O'Brien and Riki Wessels survived until the close against an attack that saw leg-spinner Danish Kaneria take the new ball with Masters.

Play earlier in the day had been attritional after Northamptonshire struck three early blows to reduce the home side to 21 for three within seven overs. Johan van der Wath had John Maunders caught at deep square leg before David Lucas struck twice in successive overs.

He had Alastair Cook caught in the gully for a duck and then uprooted the off stump of Tom Westley.

Matt Walker and Mark Pettini addressed the situation with an 81-run stand before Panesar had Walker caught for 40 at slip off the shoulder of the bat.

The introduction of Nicky Boje at the opposite end brought the downfall of Pettini, who had faced 139 balls to reach 47 when the Essex captain succumbed to the spinner's fourth delivery that found the edge and was caught at first slip.

The arrival of Ten Doeschate produced a change in tempo as the Holland all-rounder immediately went on the attack striking 40 of the first 50 runs in partnership with Foster that saw Boje twice conceding 16 runs in an over.