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A couple of late wickets have given Sussex a sniff of putting pressure on Warwickshire.

John Simpson may have some aching bones this morning, having been on the pitch all day yesterday while finishing 181 not out and then skippering his troops from behind the stumps.

The home side raced away to an opening century stand but the loss of Alex Davies, Hamza Shaikh and Sam Hain has checked their progress.

Rob Yates looks in masterful form and Warwickshire will look to him to lead them to safety.

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Kemar Roach is used to arriving in England and wearing two sweaters for the opening round of County Championship matches but has been greeted by warm, sunny weather this time although he has not enjoyed the bowling conditions at Chelmsford.

"It's a very, very tough pitch, one of the flattest I've played on in England," Roach told BBC London.

"I think the guys stuck at it well and everyone called upon put in a big effort on a pitch offering nothing.

"As a batting unit we've done pretty well so far - It's about putting on the runs and see where we go from there."

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The game, theoretically, is in the balance at the Utilita Bowl but the wicket of Jonny Bairstow, who fell for the second time in the game to young paceman Sonny Baker, will have fuelled Hampshire's belief that they can begin the new season with a win.

Opener Adam Lyth is still there with a painstaking 57 not out, made from 192 balls, but Yorkshire are only 61 ahead and Dom Bess apart, the tail have limited batting pretensions.

Hampshire will have been disappointed by their first-innings total, but Brad Wheal's 4-11, supported by Baker's 2-38, has left the White Rose with a lot of work to do.

"We're pretty happy with the position. We probably would have liked a few more runs on the board to give us a bigger lead going into the second innings. The wicket is pretty slow and low and we've had to work very hard to get those wickets," Wheal told BBC Radio Solent.

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It looks like very much advantage Adam Hollioake's Kent in the match between two teams with new head coaches at Wantage Road.

Northants, now under the watchful eye of Darren Lehmann, need another 153 to win what has been a low-scoring game.

Their chances surely depend on George Bartlett, who was 54 not out overnight, but only has the tail for company as he look to get the job done for his side.

South African paceman Keith Dudgeon, though, will be looking for a maiden five-for in county cricket - and 12th in first-class cricket overall - after impressing with 4-32 on day two.

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Life may not begin at 40, but in county cricket - unlike many other professional sports - many an 'old dog' has shown that they still have the vitality and knowhow to show youngsters a trick or two.

Captain Wayne Madsen's sixth hundred against Gloucestershire has given Derbyshire a decent chance of equalling last summer's one Championship victory at the first attempt.

The visitors, though, are only 41 in arrears and Madsen will be hoping his bowlers can see off Ben Charlesworth - who is 77 not out - early.

"I still feel like I’m batting as well as I have, certainly over the last 10 years in red-ball cricket, and while I’m doing that I’m going to ride the wave and enjoy it," 41-year-old Madsen said at the end of day two.

Today's BBC Weather social media summary says: "Sunshine from dawn to dusk for most - chilly* breeze again in south and east of UK."

From a cricketing point of view, the weather gods continue to be in benevolent mood when you consider how early in April we are.

For more localised info, please click here and use the search box to find the town (or city) where the match you are most interested in is ongoing.

*not wrong about the 'chilly' bit

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Division One

Essex 582-6 dec v Surrey 109-1

Hampshire 249 v Yorkshire 121 & 189-6

Nottinghamshire 297-5 v Durham 378

Somerset 637-6 v Worcestershire 154

Warwickshire 223-3 v Sussex 528

Division Two

Derbyshire 391 v Gloucestershire 222 & 128-3

Glamorgan 229 v Leicestershire 426-8

Middlesex 260 v Lancashire 353-9

Northamptonshire 143 & 107-7 v Kent 231 & 171

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Yesterday was definitely 'Tom Banton Day' following his brilliant triple century for Somerset against Worcestershire.

Whose turn will it be to shine on day three of the opening round of the County Championship?

Potentially, there could be results in three or four matches so it looks like we have some exciting action in store.

Play starts at 11:00.