Ravi Bopara celebrated his call-up to England's Stanford Super Series squad with an unbeaten 65 as Essex dominated Northants on day three at Wantage Road.

Resuming on 18-0, Jason Gallian (72) and John Maunders (62) put on a 113-run stand for the first wicket.

Bopara and Essex captain Mark Pettini (50 not out) then led the visitors to 256-2 at the close, 48 runs behind Northants' first-innings 304.

Gallian was removed by Nicky Boje and Maunders by England's Monty Panesar.

With both teams going for promotion, a draw suits neither side but a result is dependent on Pettini and opposing captain Boje reaching an arrangement for the final's day play.

The match did not start until 1330 BST with a further 29 overs being lost to the rain in a match which weather has dominated.

Essex made just 18 runs off 14 overs on day, but debutant Maunders upped the pace with a succession of early boundaries including a cover drive off Panesar which went for six.

And the former Leicestershire batsman eventually reached his half-century off 128 balls as he drove Boje to the backward point boundary.

The 27-year-old looked well set to build on that milestone with a straight drive off Panesar in the 44th over.

But off the very the next ball, the spinner struck with Riki Wessels snaffling a bat-pad catch at close quarters.

It did not take long for Gallian, who has been out of form with the bat recently, to get his 50, striking David Lucas to the boundary for four.

The visitors reached tea at 133-1 and, after Bopara and Gallian racked up a half-century partnership, Northants struck again in the 62nd over.

Boje claimed the wicket as Gallian hit him straight down Rob White's throat at mid-on.

New batsmen Pettini went on the offensive as the day drew to a close, hitting Boje for six over the long-off boundary before dishing out the same treatment to Panesar.

Both Northants' spinners struggled with the conditions, Panesar finishing with figures of 1-88, while South African all-rounder Boje (1-81) fared little better.

In the final over, Pettini joined the 50 club as he hit Boje for another six before reaching his half-century with a single.