Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator

If Surrey were to pick three up now quickly after lunch, all of a sudden this first day looks totally different but had Daniel Hughes continued the way he was going, he could have had 100 before lunch, he was going that well.

Then they pulled it back after we was caught and bowled by Matthew Fisher.

Dan Worrall is a fantastic bowler but he wasn't quite at his best this morning. Hughes was good enough to just jump of anything that was slightly overpitched.

Image source, Getty Images

up for Essexpublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 18 April

13:54 BST 18 April

Essex 102-4 v Worcestershire

Essex need a steady start post lunch, especially with the news that Michael Pepper hasn't been able to come back out.

Effectively five down now with the wicketkeeper's absence but there's a little milestone as Noah Thain punches Jacob Duffy back through mid-on to the fence to bring up his side's three figures.

Image source, Rex Features

Michael Pepper hasn't been able to come back out after lunch.

He seemed to pull something as he played back to a Jacob Duffy delivery shortly before the interval and obviously isn't able to carry on.

Could be a hammy - or certainly muscular. Essex will be hoping the physios can get to work and he can keep wicket.

Home side are effectively five down.

Rain arrivingpublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 18 April

13:45 BST 18 April

We've got delays after lunch at Edgbaston, the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, and Old Trafford.

And the forecast isn't looking too promising.

Toms Alsop and Haines resume their 24-run partnership with Gus Atkinson the first Surrey bowler to take aim.

James Wharton and Dawid Malan resume their partnership with 31 runs already in the bag. Brendan Doggett (2-19) with the ball for Durham.

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex

An intriguing morning at Hove has finished with honours about even

Having won the toss Sussex were off to a flyer with Daniel Hughes in fine form racing to his 50 in 47 balls with nine boundaries.

However the introduction of Matthew Fisher and Dan Lawrence slowed the scoring rate, and both were rewarded with wickets before lunch.

Hughes was splendidly caught and bowled low to his right by Fisher after an opening stand of 95 with Tom Haines, and just seven runs later Tom Clark was plum lbw to Lawrence.

Tom Haines has batted throughout the session and together with Tom Alsop safely saw Sussex through to the interval

Mike Taylor
BBC WM commentator

On a pitch with a greenish tinge and in the most authentically-April conditions of the season so far, it was no great surprise when Haseeb Hameed decided, after the coin fell favourably, to graciously give the opposing openers first dibs.

Neither of them survived the 40-minute opening period of this match.

Brett Hutton rolled in for a canny spell from the Pavilion End, winning lbw verdicts against Rob Yates with a ball that swung, and Alex Davies with one that didn’t.

Sam Hain and Hamza Shaikh treated the bowling with due suspicion, but Hain eased three boundaries through the legside when Hutton’s line strayed, and Shaikh twice guided Fergus O’Neill deliveries to the rope at third man.

Eventually, the drizzle – almost imperceptible watching from behind glass but torrential by the standards of the last couple of weeks became heavy enough to send the players to the lunch room early.

More is expected later.

Nick Webb
BBC Radio Wales

Zain ul Hassan led Glamorgan’s solid progress in the first session after being put in, reaching his half century off 82 balls with eight four in the final over before lunch.

He survived a close lbw shout from debutant Dane Paterson on six, but the veteran South African seamer got his reward for a testing opening spell when Eddie Byrom slashed at a wide one and was caught behind for 18 after surviving more difficult deliveries.

Sam Northeast, on his return to the venue where he set a ground record of 335 not out last year, looked sedate and serene in a 50 stand with Ul Hassan as Toby Roland-Jones was left to ponder his decision at the toss.

In the battle of the bottom two sides, Glamorgan are surprisingly unchanged despite their poor bowling display against Gloucestershire, while Paterson replaced Blake Cullen in the home team.

Division One

• Durham v Yorkshire 75-2
• Essex 94-4 v Worcestershire
• Hampshire v Somerset 94-6
• Sussex 126-2 v Surrey
• Warwickshire 34-2 v Notts

Division Two

• Derbyshire 115-3 v Northants
• Kent v Gloucestershire 96-3
• Lancashire 61-3 v Leicestershire
• Middlesex v Glamorgan 92-1

Image source, Rex Features

After the carnage of Headingley, Worcestershire needed a good session and they'll be pleased with their morning's work after putting Essex in on a green surface.

New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy has been a real handful and he'll lunch well with 3-15 to his name after going for more than six an over in both innings against Yorkshire.

Jordan Cox looked like he was going to make the most of being dropped on four when he smacked Ben Allison back over his head for a glorious six but Duffy picked him up for 32 to end his threatening stand of 60 with Tom Westley.

Big afternoon session for both sides on the way.

Image source, Getty Images

Honours even after the morning session with Durham grabbing both openers in quick succession and Yorkshire ticking the board along either side.

It was just one bad over for the visitors who lost Adam Lyth and Fin Bean inside four deliveries from Brendan Doggett in the 18th.

Before that step change, Yorkshire had tanked along cautiously but pretty safely and after it Dawid Malan (17) and James Wharton (14) have looked largely untroubled.

Nicely poised.

Fantastic morning for the home side who've been all over Somerset once they broke the second-wicket stand between Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby.

The pair put on 55 after the loss of Sean Dickson for seven but once James Fuller got Lammonby for 36, it fell apart.

Three wickets went for one run in 11 balls as Hampshire charged to lunch with all the momentum.

Kevan James
BBC Radio Solent commentator

Hampshire are really on the move.

Three catches behind for Ben Brown.

James Rew had to play at it, he'd not done a lot wrong, it was just pitched in the right area.

Image source, Getty Images

Good session with everyone leaving feeling quite pleased with their start.

Express start from Sussex who were powered along by the bat of Daniel Hughes (62) but were pegged back a touch by two wickets as the opener and Tom Clark were chiselled out.

Surrey won't be too disheartened making breakthroughs after losing the toss on what looks a decent wicket.

Nice spell this morning from Dan Lawrence whose flamboyant, windmilling action and loopy style is quite nice to watch.

He has not bowled too many loose ones which, given how he hardly fires them down, is no mean feat although he was visibly annoyed to be cut by Tom Alsop for a boundary in the previous over.

Overall, it has been an effective contribution from the all-rounder who has 1-30 from eight overs.

Big shout for lbw as Jacob Duffy hunts a fourth wicket this morning.

Michael Pepper tried to work the ball to the on-side and it strikes him on the front pad.

The way he's shaping and the natural angle of Duffy has that just sliding down - the stifled Worcestershire appeal says as much.