Kevin Howells
BBC Test Match Special commentator

Surrey have got to come out tomorrow morning and get wickets. We will be in the 48th over when we start play at 11:00 BST.

We're not a million miles away from a second new ball, Hampshire of course are going to be careful with that because the scoring rate isn't particularly quick but when you look at the scoreboard and you see that they are just 25 behind and nine wickets in hand, they are in a mighty handy position.

Fair to say Derbyshire have probably just about edged this opening day.

Matt Lamb had himself a career day, scoring a first class best 186 not out from 228 balls in a brutal onslaught which featured 28 fours and a six.

Brooke Guest added 95 and Aneurin Donald made 67 from 59 as Derbyshire got within 16 runs of securing maximum batting bonus points on the opening day.

They have 14 overs in which to find them in the morning.

That is indeed stumps at Lord's as another light reading fails to hit the required mark.

Cheteshwar Pujara will go to bed unbeaten on 91 with John Simpson 29 short of what must be a dream century on his Lord's return.

This battle at the top of Division Two has been engrossing - tomorrow should be even more so.

Image source, Getty Images

Three fours for David Bedingham end the latest Craig Overton.

Two are straightforward leg glances, either side of a meaty pull through mid-wicket.

The South African is 77 not out.

Toby Albert drives Dan Lawrence beautifully through mid-off for four to bring up the Hampshire 100 in the final over of the day.

It also brings up the fifty partnership with Nick Gubbins (27 not out) which has come off 133 balls.

Albert (34 not out) won't want to come off, but off they must as Hants close the day just 25 runs behind Surrey's first-innings total with nine wickets in hand.

It caps a terrific day, lit up by Kyle Abbott's five-wicket burst after lunch.

Hampshire are in a commanding position but won't be complacent. They will expect a fightback on day two.

Surrey are not clear leaders and defending champions without reason.

It might not be all she wrote, there are brighter skies on the horizon, but for now the players head back to the pavilion with six overs remaining in the day.

Cheteshwar Pujara is 91 not out with John Simpson unbeaten on 71 on his Lord's return.

These two have added 131 so far after Middlesex thought they were making inroads at 164-4, having earlier won the toss.

Toby Albert lifts Cam Steel over the top to the long-on boundary.

It almost clears the rope but the opener settles for a four which takes the 22-year-old to 30 and a new best first-class score.

One over to go.

It's been Essex's day, from the moment Tom Westley won the toss.

Nick Browne (65) and Dean Elgar (77) put on 146 for the opening wicket and though Kent lost Wes Agar to a shoulder injury after bowling just seven overs, they battled gamely back to take four wickets for the addition of 84 runs.

However Jordan Cox is 51* overnight with Michael Pepper on 35* from 50 balls and Essex will have an eye on further batting points in the morning.

50 for Jordan Coxpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 24 May

18:02 BST 24 May

Kent v Essex 287-4

Inevitable.

Back-to-back boundaries from Jordan Cox and he gets to lift his bat at Canterbury once again. Some respectful applause.

Nick Gubbins defends Cam Steel's first two balls and then drills a shot straight down the ground and sets off for a single.

There's confusion as the ball hits Toby Albert's bat at the non-striker's end and stops. Albert scrambles down the other end and makes it home just in time.

It's the kind of luck that Surrey so badly need.

Albert takes another single and the hosts trail by 35.

Cheteshwar Pujara hooks away a short leg-side delivery from Henry Brookes and moves to 90 when it finds the rope at fine leg.

Seven overs remain in the gloom.

Toby Albert dabs Jordan Clark's third ball towards the third man boundary and comes back for two.

He wants a third, but Nick Gubbins sends him back. Albert stays on 24.

Four overs to go until the close.

Image source, Rex Features

Toby Albert is forward to nudge the first ball of Cam Steel's fifth over into the vacant square leg area for a single.

Steel lands the next one into the footmarks but it's slightly too full and Nick Gubbins helps himself to another run.

Wow that kept low! Steel's fourth ball is a proper daisy-cutter and Albert does well to jab his bat down on it.

The spinner serves up a juicy full toss and there's a loud clonk as Albert's bat connects, but good fielding from Gus Atkinson keeps it to one.

Hants trail by 39 with five overs to go today.

This has been the most authoritative partnership of the day by some distance.

It's no surprise then that Somerset call up Craig Overton to try and break it before the close.

David Bedingham is 58 not out and Ollie Robinson has 44 - and the latter survives a confident lbw shout from the Somerset and England seamer.

50 partnership for Essexpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 24 May

17:55 BST 24 May

Kent v Essex 275-4

That spell of 84-4 for Kent just hinted they might be able to wrestle some control back after a pretty forlorn start to proceedings but this stand of 50 from 82 balls between Jordan Cox and Michael Pepper have taken the initiative away once again.

A dozen balls remain, Cox is eight shy of a half-century on his Canterbury return.

Nick Gubbins pushes a single off Cam Steel and then turns down the opportunity of another as Toby Albert connects.

Steel's fifth ball lands in the sweet spot and draws a thick outside edge from Albert but it's along the ground and safe.

It's been a mature innings from the 22-year-old.

Jordan Clark is back and Gubbins (24) doesn't time that shot so well, but it runs through the covers and just outpaces the Surrey outfielders to the rope.

Hants are 42 behind and we have six overs of the day left.

It seems a shame to finish - it's a beautiful cricket-watching evening on the south coast.