Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

There was a bit of confusion about yesterday after Sussex named their squad for this one and it did not include Jofra Archer. He was on the team bus at the time!

Jack Carson was also missing from that list, but is also here in Chester-le-Street. Apparently with Archer, it was an attempt to try and avoid too much press attention, but after a few phone calls to the England press office, it was confirmed he would be playing today. Carson is also featuring.

Archer has missed so much cricket in recent years because of injury. This will be his first championship match with Sussex since a game against Kent in May 2021.

However, Sussex have won the toss and will bat first. So, the wait for Archer goes on.

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A week is a long time in politics and basically in any other area of life these days so what does that make four years?

Well, Jofra Archer will step out in his Sussex whites for the first time since May 2021 today as he looks to get his red-ball career back on track following a number of injury issues.

With his Sussex side going along nicely in third place on their return to Division One, 'fresh' from a nine wicket win over Hampshire in their previous Championship game and with fellow paceman Ollie Robinson back in the side, the stars might be aligning themselves for the south coast side.

There is no David Bedingham for Durham as he rests after helping South Africa win the World Test Championship last week while Brydon Carse is away on England duty but seamer Sam Conners makes his four-day debut.

It's sixth against third but all eyes will surely be on Jofra Archer as that Ashes series is not too far away - even five months isn't that long in cricketing terms!

Division One

• Durham v Sussex - Sussex win toss and bat
• Essex v Hampshire - Essex win toss and bowl
• Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire - Notts win toss and bat
• Warwickshire v Somerset - Somerset win toss and bat
• Worcestershire v Surrey - Worcs win toss and bat

Division Two

• Gloucestershire v Derbyshire - Gloucs win toss and bat
• Lancashire v Kent - Lancs win toss and bowl
• Leicestershire v Glamorgan - Glamorgan win toss and bat
• Northamptonshire v Middlesex - Middlesex win toss and bat

These are heady days for Leicestershire and a 22-year absence from Division One might be coming to an end.

Five wins and two draws have given the Foxes a nice cushion at the top of the table with a big test to come against Glamorgan over the next four days.

Derbyshire have surprised many with their challenge and you feel Gloucestershire have to win at Bristol to maintain their promotion hopes.

Northamptonshire against Middlesex will need a winner if both sides aren't to spend the rest of the season playing for pride but what about the match-up between the bottom two?

Many will have expected Lancashire and Kent to be challenging for an immediate return to the top table after relegation last summer but instead they find themselves scrapping it out to avoid being the country's worst first class county.

It's a big four days at both ends of the Division One table.

Surprise leaders Nottinghamshire and second-placed defending champions Surrey face second-bottom Yorkshire and basement side Worcestershire respectively.

Sixth meets third and fifth faces fourth too as Durham welcome Sussex and Warwickshire welcome Somerset.

There aren't many gaps in the table after seven games - but after this round of fixtures, they may well begin to form...

Image source, Getty Images

On a day when many, many tributes will be paid to trailblazing former England fast bowler David 'Syd' Lawrence, it is perhaps fitting that two fellow seamers are set to take centre stage on the field.

Jofra Archer will play his first red-ball game in four years, hoping to finally put a long series of injury problems behind him, as his Sussex side visit Durham in Division One.

Meanwhile, James Anderson, at 42, captains Lancashire for the first time in a competitive game as they host Kent in Division Two.

David 'Syd' Lawrence was a fearsome sight on the county scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, his efforts from Gloucestershire also earning him England recognition.

What are your favourite memories of him?

Let us know via the usual methods and we'll do our best to publish as many as we can.

David 'Syd' Lawrence's former club Gloucestershire have issued a lengthy tribute, external to the fast bowler, who also became club president.

Peter Matthews, club chairman, said: “Firstly, everyone at the club sends their heartfelt condolences to Syd's family who supported him so well during his illness. As a club, we will support them in any way we can.

"Syd was truly a Gloucestershire great, both on and off the field. As a player he was one of our greatest ever fast bowlers, who deservedly earned test caps whilst with us.

"On retirement, he continued to be heavily involved with the club, and was both a supportive and active President. He will be hugely missed.”

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David 'Syd' Lawrence played five Test matches for England and took 625 wickets in 280 matches during a 16-year career at Gloucestershire.

He took three wickets on his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Lord's in 1988 but his career was curtailed by a serious knee injury suffered while playing for England against New Zealand four years later.

Lawrence was named Gloucestershire's club president in 2022 and continued in the role after his MND diagnosis last year and has been a prominent campaigner to support those with the disease.

He was appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours earlier this month after raising money and awareness of the condition.

"'Syd' was an inspirational figure on and off the cricket field and no more so than to his family who were with him when he passed," said a family statement announcing his death.

Read more about Lawrence's life and career here.

Good morning and welcome to our live text coverage of day one of the resumption of the County Championship programme.

We begin with sombre news as Gloucestershire have this morning announced the death of their former England fast bowler David 'Syd' Lawrence at the age of 61.

Lawrence was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease last year.

We will bring you tributes to Lawrence, the first British-born black cricketer to represent England, throughout the day as part of our live text coverage of the nine Championship games taking place.

Image source, Getty Images