Frank Watson
BBC Hereford & Worcester

It's a real test now for these Worcestershire bowlers and for the captain Brett D'Oliveira, for all of them.

You're going to have some bad days this season obviously, but on the second day of the season you find yourselves on the wrong end of a double 100 partnership after a disappointing first day with the bat yourself.

I doubt there will be many worse scenarios as the season goes on and it tests the metal and resolve.

It happens to every team and it's not anything particularly extraordinary but it's testing and a real reminder that Division One cricket is tough.

50 for Ben Slaterpublished at 30.2 overs

30.2 overs

Notts 95-1 v Durham 378

Image source, Rex Features

A nice start to the 2025 campaign for Notts opener Ben Slater who moves to his half-century, off a steady 89 balls, with a splendid square cut off Paul Coughlin which thuds into the advertising boards.

It's the 41st half-century of Slater's first-class career against opponents he seems to relish.

The 33-year-old has seven half-centuries and a double-hundred against Durham.

Rob Yates drives, Alex Davies at the non-striker's end sets off for a single but Daniel Hughes dives to stop the ball and hurls at the stumps.

Davies has to sprawl back into his ground as Hughes throws but misses - had he hit it would have been out.

It's a pretty fraught start to the home side's reply.

Meanwhile back at Chelmsford, Matt Critchley reverse-sweeps Dan Lawrence for another boundary and then clatters him away to the long-on rope.

He moves to 137 and is 14 runs short of his career-best 151.

The Warwickshire skipper Alex Davies gets himself up and running with a beautiful extra-cover drive for four from Jayden Seales' second delivery.

The next one is well down the leg side and Davies wafts at it - Sussex think there's a noise and all go up.

Seales is down next to the batter before realising the appeal has been turned down.

It's all happening.

Dropped catchpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 5 April

14:42 BST 5 April

Warks 2-0 v Sussex 528

Ollie Robinson catches the edge of Rob Yates' bat and Tom Clark puts it down at second slip.

It carried at about boot height but that's a chance missed.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

What a splendid innings it has been from James Rew.

A classical century really, albeit on a flat pitch against an unthreatening attack, but he's played absolutely beautifully.

Wonderful technique with some beautiful shots.

Paul Coughlin gets a little extra bounce but Ben Slater drops his hands and the ball pings, shoulder-high, into the gloves of Ollie Robinson.

He nudges a single to move within four of a season-opening fifty.

100 for Rewpublished at 91.3 overs

91.3 overs

Somerset 373-4 (lead by 219 runs) vs Worcs 154

Image source, Getty Images

If you get a stroke of luck you have to make best use of it and James Rew certainly has, reaching three figures for the ninth time in first class cricket.

Dropped at deep square leg by Tom Hinley (sorry to mention that again Tom) on 20, Rew has spent the last two hours rubbing salt into Worcester wounds.

And after putting Tom Taylor away for 11th four of his innings, he raises his bat, takes off his helmet and embraces Banton in the middle of the wicket.

Warwickshire start their reply.

Sussex are on the attack with four slips.

Ollie Robinson has the new ball having returned from a double-hernia operation over the winter.

Noah Thain is the new man in for Essex.

No sign of a declaration from the home side, they are grinding Surrey into the dust.

Also, with the state of this pitch maybe Essex know how hard taking wickets is going to be so want as much scoreboard pressure as possible while keeping the weary Surrey bowlers and fielders out there.

Time for some spin as Durham turn to George Drissell to bowl the 26th over.

Ben Slater guides the second ball down to third man for a single and goes to 45.

Freddie McCann had a tremendous breakthrough year for Notts in 2024 and has made a solid start to season two.

He sees out the over untroubled and is unbeaten on 13. The deficit is down to 293.

Paul Coughlin replaces wicket-taker Matthew Potts as he switches to the Radcliffe Road End.

Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator

Well done Michael Pepper. That's been a lovely innings.

That's his third first-class 100. His highest was 115 so he's got a good opportunity to get a personal best here.

He's played very nicely.

Postpublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 5 April

14:32 BST 5 April

Essex 534-4 v Surrey

Dan Lawrence bowls and Michael Pepper hits him into the spectators watching at long-off.

Dawid Malan and Adam Lyth have stopped the rot with a partnership which has now stretched to 15. Small steps perhaps but small ones are needed here for the visitors.

A penny for the thoughts of new captain Jonny Bairstow as he sits on the balcony watching this although they are Probably not printable even if we had them.

100 for Wayne Madsenpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 5 April

14:31 BST 5 April

Derbys 303-7 v Gloucestershire 222

It's become a familiar sight to many weary beleaguered bowler over the years, but Wayne Madsen lifts his bat aloft to mark his 40th (yes, FORTIETH) first-class ton.

The knock has come off 144 balls, featuring 11 fours and a maximum.

He brought up the landmark in the midst of chaos at the other end as the hosts lost four quick wickets after lunch.

Madsen's ton has put Derbyshire in a commanding position. Their lead over Gloucestershire is 81 and counting with three wickets in hand.

Northamptonshire have started the afternoon on fire with four wickets in no time.

After Zak Crawley fell for 36, Weatherall removed Ben Compton and Kent skipper Daniel Bell-Dummond in successive balls and then Tawanda Muyeye for a duck.

Kent's second innings has slid from 61-0 at lunch to 83-4 with a lead of 171.

Middlesex have picked up a third Lancashire wicket as Zafar Gohar bowling Josh Bohannon for 26. The Red Rose trail by 106.

Leicestershire are accelerating towards Glamorgan's first innings.

Lewis Hill (65*) has brought up his 22nd first-class fifty and Peter Handscomb (44*) is close to joining him in an unbroken 100-run stand.

The Foxes are just seven behind at 222-3.

Jayden Seales pulls Michael Booth to mid-wicket and is caught by Ed Barnard.

John Simpson finishes unbeaten on 181.

Tazeem Ali took three wickets and Ethan Bamber four.

100 for Michael Pepperpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 5 April

14:26 BST 5 April

Essex v Surrey

Image source, Rex Features

A third first-class century for Michael Pepper and how well he has played since joining Matt Critchley.

He has a reputation of being very wham, bam but it's a well constructed innings coming from 154 balls with 13 boundaries.

And the 200 partnership is on the board as well.

A good day to be an Essex supporter.