Summary

  • England's Ben Duckett hits unbeaten 197 for Nottinghamshire

  • Surrey bowl out Hampshire for 151 at The Oval

  • Joe Root scores half-century for Yorkshire against Derbyshire

  • Colin Ackermann makes maiden Durham century against Essex

  • Marchant de Lange takes 6-49 as Gloucs dismiss Middlesex for 203

  • Div One: Durham v Essex, Surrey v Hants, Warwickshire v Notts, Worcestershire v Somerset

  • Div Two: Gloucs v Middlesex, Leics v Northants, Yorkshire v Derbyshire

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  1. dropped catch

    Dropped catch off OHDpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 26 April

    Notts 38-1 v Warwickshire

    Bad luck for Olly Hannon-Dalby as he misses out on a second wicket.

    Ben Slater edges - but Jacob Bethell shells the chance at third slip.

  2. wicket

    WICKET: Dickson lbw b Waite 16published at 11:37 British Summer Time 26 April

    Somerset 24-1 v Worcestershire

    First wicket for Worcestershire as Matthew Waite strikes.

    Sean Dickson attempts to get down the track to nullify the swing.

    But he is given out leg before wicket, maybe hitting the top of leg stump.

    New man in is Tom Lammonby to join Matt Renshaw, who has got his head down - and is yet to find the rope.

  3. 'A good way to impress your new team mates'published at 11:33 British Summer Time 26 April

    Durham 11-1 v Essex

    Glenn Speller
    BBC Essex Sport

    There’s a good way to impress your new team mates.

    Jamie Porter gets one to leave Scott Borthwick and on-loan wicketkeeper Harry Duke flings himself to his left to take a fine one-handed catch low in front of first slip.

    Welcome to Essex young man.

  4. wicket

    WICKET: Hameed c Davies b Hannon-Dalby 2published at 11:32 British Summer Time 26 April

    Notts 16-1 v Warwickshire

    Breakthrough for Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

    Last summer's top Bears wicket taker Olly Hannon-Dalby has Notts skipper Haseeb Hameed well pouched by Alex Davies.

    New man in for Notts is Ben Slater, who has dropped back down to number three in the batting order following the recall of England opener Ben Duckett.

  5. wicket

    WICKET: Lees c Duke b Cook 4published at 11:25 British Summer Time 26 April

    Durham 11-2 v Essex

    Sam Cook with a second wicket in the very next over!

    Length ball in the channel just outside off, Alex Lees feels for it and gets a feather edge behind.

    This time, it was the simplest of catches for Harry Duke.

    And this one should definitely have been left alone by Lees - and he knows it.

  6. wicket

    WICKET: Borthwick c Duke b Porter 7published at 11:20 British Summer Time 26 April

    Durham 11-1 v Essex

    Jamie Porter strikes early for Essex.

    Round the wicket, he gets Scott Borthwick to push at a ball a decent way outside off.

    Always difficult to leave those with the angle and Borthwick nicks it low to the wicketkeeper's left.

    What a tremendous catch from Harry Duke, on loan from Yorkshire.

    He dives low and grabs on one-handed just above the turf. Very sharp.

  7. Postpublished at 11:14 British Summer Time 26 April

    Somerset 8-0 v Worcestershire

    Somerset openers Matt Renshaw and Sean Dickson have made a solid start at Chester Road, Kidderminster.

    Three and a half overs gone. Untroubled so far against Joe Leach and Ben Gibbon.

  8. wicket

    WICKET: Middleton c Pope b Worrall 4published at 11:08 British Summer Time 26 April

    Surrey v Hants 8-1

    A green tinge to the wicket at The Oval, with Surrey winning the toss and deciding to field.

    And they strike eighth ball of the match!

    Dan Worrall's first delivery squares up Fletcha Middleton and take a thick outside edge that scuttles past second slip for four.

    The second does almost precisely the same thing but this time the nick carries low to Ollie Pope.

  9. 'A big day for Essex'published at 11:08 British Summer Time 26 April

    Durham 0-0 v Essex

    Glenn Speller
    BBC Essex Sport

    A big day on several fronts for Essex.

    Sam Cook leads Essex for the first time in the absence of Tom Westley, who awaits the birth of his second child.

    Harry Duke makes his Essex debut behind the stumps on loan from Yorkshire.

    Nick Browne is in the Essex first XI for the first time this season, looking to re-establish himself in the side.

    Robin Das gets a go in the middle order for just his second Championship match.

  10. All games underway on timepublished at 11:07 British Summer Time 26 April

    It might be cold . . .

    But all seven games are now underway!

  11. Worcestershire wait on Waitepublished at 11:00 British Summer Time 26 April

    Worcestershire v Somerset

    Matthew Waite could be a key man for the home side.

    He is allowed another game as the club manage his return from winter hamstring struggles.

    Kashif Ali, who scored two hundreds in Worcestershire's opening game against Warwickshire, is back in after missing last week.

    Ben Gibbon’s left-armers were particularly expensive at Taunton in the One-Day Cup last summer. But he comes in for his first appearance of the season.

    He may get the new ball shortly as Worcestershire have won the toss and will bowl first.

  12. And now for some cricket...published at 10:57 British Summer Time 26 April

    Purely in cricket terms, back-to-back county champions Surrey are without England keeper Ben Foakes against Hampshire at The Oval due to 'ECB workload management'. Jamie Smith will stand instead.

    But Ollie Pope and Gus Atkinson have been cleared to play in this one after being prevented from doing so last week.

    Durham have new signing Peter Siddle making his debut against his former club Essex. The Australian pace veteran is unlikely to be daubed in too much sun cream at Chester-le-Street.

    Sam Cook will skipper Essex, as county captain Tom Westley is excused duty this week as he is awaiting the birth of a new baby.

    Warwickshire will have their new signing Aamir Jamal in for the visit of Notts to Edgbaston.

    Just 16 miles away at Chester Road, Kidderminster, neighbours Worcestershire entertain Somerset.

    Warwickshire old boy Andy Umeed is back in far sooner than expected after his hand injury. His mix of off and leg spin will cover Lewis Goldsworthy’s absence, while Kasey Aldridge comes in for Craig Overton and Jake Ball for Josh Davey.

    In Division Two, Yorkshire again have England duo Joe Root and Harry Brook on show against Derbyshire.

  13. Postpublished at 10:55 British Summer Time 26 April

    Worcestershire v Somerset

    Harry Everett
    BBC Sport on the M5, just north of Michael Wood Services

    I'm supposed to be at Chester Road, Kidderminster.

    But instead I'm currently sat on the flattest road in the Championship - the M5.

    Even the Dukes ball wouldn’t do anything on here.

    I'm one of four intrepid cricket fans who have hopefully temporarily run out of road, having been stumped by a breakdown, to hit our plans to tick off a new first-class cricket ground for six.

    Currently stood on the hard shoulder of the M5 just above not Mark Wood, but Michael Wood Services.

    Life on the M5 hard shoulderImage source, BBC - Harry Everett
    Image caption,

    There's always time for a pasty for any true cold, stranded Somerset cricket fan. Even in a crisis!

  14. Today's Weatherpublished at 10:54 British Summer Time 26 April

    Today's BBC weather forecast suggests that it will be "Cloudy with lingering patchy rain in the far south. Clear spells elsewhere with showers in the east."

    Also better news on the temperature front. The expected low in centigrade terms has gone up a degree to five. Although the expected high of 12 degrees has dipped to 11.

    Good luck out there. Especially anyone who might currently be suffering travel issues . . .

  15. Division Two tablepublished at 10:50 British Summer Time 26 April

    Following three rounds of games

    • Sussex P3 W1 51 pts
    • Middlesex P3 W1 42 pts
    • Leicestershire P3 W0 41 pts
    • Northamptonshire P3 W0 39 pts
    • Glamorgan P3 W0 34 pts
    • Yorkshire P3 W0 28 pts
    • Derbyshire P3 W0 28 pts
    • Gloucestershire P3 W0 26 pts
  16. Division One tablepublished at 10:48 British Summer Time 26 April

    Following three rounds of games

    • Essex P3 W2 57 pts
    • Surrey P3 W1 49 pts
    • Somerset P3 W0 41 pts
    • Warwickshire P3 W 0 41 pts
    • Durham P3 W1 38 pts
    • Hampshire P3 W0 30 pts
    • Worcestershire P3 W0 28 pts
    • Nottinghamshire P3 W0 28 pts
    • Kent P3 W0 26 pts
    • Lancashire P3 W0 24 pts
  17. Round four fixturespublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 26 April

    Division One

    Chester-le-Street: Durham v Essex

    The Oval: Surrey v Hampshire

    Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire

    Kidderminster: Worcestershire v Somerset

    Division Two

    Bristol: Gloucestershire v Middlesex

    Leicester: Leicestershire v Northamptonshire

    Headingley: Yorkshire v Derbyshire

  18. Good Morning Allpublished at 10:44 British Summer Time 26 April

    Cricket spectators warmly cladImage source, Stu Forster - Getty Images

    Good Morning and Welcome.

    We're into the fourth week of the new county cricket season. But you'd be forgiven for wondering what's gone wrong with the weather.

    As another clue to just how unseasonal it has felt this week, an annual pointer to the fact that winter should be over by now is that it's the final day of the 2023-24 jumps season at Sandown Park tomorrow. As, once upon a time, most county cricketers, who were also big horse backers, would have known.

    It's almost May - and the weather should be lovely by now. But it's not.

    Homes all over the land have been lighting fires in the evening this week and switching the central heating back on.

    Reporters at this week's evening football matches have been kitted out in big thick bobble hats, ski glove and thermals.

    And, with temperatures not likely to rise above 12 degrees today - and likely to drop to as low as 4 - our thoughts go out to all players and spectators at all our seven County Championship matches.

    And particularly the occupants of the makeshift press tent at Chester Road, Kidderminster, where one local eccentric, normally kept warm behind glass at flood-damaged New Road at this time of year, will be confidently expected to have taken along his three-bar electric heater.