David Bedingham makes 79-ball 100 for Durham against Worcestershire
Hampshire's Liam Dawson takes five-for against Warwickshire
Surrey reach 185-1 at the close against Kent, with Dom Sibley 87 not out
England's Harry Brook out first ball for Yorkshire at Lord's
Marcus Harris scores 214 for Leicestershire at Derby
Ricardo Vasconcelos hits unbeaten 166 for Northants v Glamorgan
Middx 97-2 v Yorks 159
Mark Stoneman and Leus du Plooy waste no time in bringing up a 50 partnership as the latter punches Jordan Thompson away for four.
A cover drive brings him another boundary to end the over and Stoneman then cuts Ben Coad away for his first four of the day.
He is 42 not out and du Plooy is on 32.
#bbccricket
Image source, Rex FeaturesAs ever, if anything in the county game catches your attention, please share your thoughts with us. There was lots of love for Essex's Sam Cook yesterday. Are there any other players who should be in the selectors' thoughts for England duty in July?
Please get in touch on X (formerly Twitter) using the #bbccricket hashtag.
Essex 70-1 v Lancashire 146
We are under way in Chelmsford with Dean Elgar tucking away a single off Tom Bailey.
And next ball, night-watchman Sam Cook is dropped!
A regulation edge, a little low maybe, but George Bell puts it down. Lancashire can't afford those given their precarious position.
Image source, Rex Features
Kent 111-4 v Surrey
Kemar Roach bowls the first over for Surrey at the Spitfire Ground and it only takes him three deliveries to strike.
That's a big inswinger and Jack Leaning has no answer as he is trapped in front.
Joe Denly is out in the middle far sooner than he would have liked.
#bbccricket
It could be warmer, but let's not complain too much!
We are starting on time in all nine matches. Hurrah!
Let's not get too carried away but isn't it great to see a sky like this over a cricket ground. Makes the world seem a better place.
Image source, Alex HoadJust a quick reminder that it's also the first round of matches in the 2024 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy today.
Play is already under way at all four grounds and you can follow their progress via our scorecards page - here.
Full coverage for you as usual today from our 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC local radio commentary teams.
Use the 'watch and listen' tab at the top of this page to choose a game and we will keep you apprised of is happening at the other eight grounds with regular text updates.
Worcs 78-4 v Durham 244
Image source, Rex FeaturesWorcestershire require a rebuild on day two against a resurgent Durham at Chester Road in Kidderminster.
Former West Indies captain Jason Holder (3-47) removed David Bedingham, Graham Clark and Paul Coughlin as the Pears looked to be seizing the advantage, before Ollie Robinson spearheaded a powerful Durham response.
The England Lions wicketkeeper batted brilliantly, scoring a half-century in only 41 balls, after Durham subsided to 141-7 midway through the afternoon session.
Adam Finch (3-37) also bowled well for the hosts as Durham ended on 244, before the hosts made a horror start with the bat, losing Gareth Roderick and Brett D'Oliveira cheaply but Jake Libby dug in to make an unbeaten 35 at the close.
Hampshire v Warwickshire 340-4 (play starts at 11:00 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesThe beauty of cricket is that wickets change everything. At 290-1, Warwickshire were in cruise control with Alex Davies on 149 and Will Rhodes well set.
Would they be able to pile up another massive score like the 698-3 dec against Durham seven days ago?
Instead they lost three wickets in the last hour or so and closed on 340-4, still a very good score but not the position of utter dominance it could have been.
Hampshire have a lot of work to do, but there is the chance of a strong morning session before getting to work with the bat.
A game of possibilities and hypotheticals... Don't we just love it?
Somerset 116-1 v Notts 193
Image source, Getty ImagesSomerset are firmly in the driving seat after dominating the opening day against Nottinghamshire at Taunton.
After the visitors won the toss and decided to bat, Craig Overton shone with the ball as Notts were bowled out for under 200.
The England all-rounder claimed 3-57 as the hosts took maximum bowling points, with only Matt Montgomery (48) and Joe Clarke (39) offering meaningful resistance.
Somerset then made a strong start in their first innings with an opening stand of 111 before Matt Renshaw departed, but Sean Dickson made it to 70 not out at the close leaving Notts with plenty of work to do.
Essex 68-1 v Lancs 146 (play starts 11:00)
Image source, Rex FeaturesEssex's Shane Snater insisted the Chelmsford pitch was "not a snakepit" after they bowled out Lancashire in 42 overs on day one.
Paceman Snater led the way with 4-42 as only tail-ender Will Williams managed to score more than 30 for the visitors.
"The pitch has a bit more carry than last week’s pitch and the Dukes ball does do a bit more than the Kookaburra," Snater told BBC Essex. "We’re in a good position and need to capitalise on it now."
They will resume just 78 behind after Feroze Khushi blazed to 53 off 33 balls in the final session before being caught.
Kent 111-3 v Surrey (play starts 11:00)
Alex Hoad
BBC Sport at Canterbury
Image source, Getty ImagesTom Lawes trapped Daniel Bell-Drummond lbw
It's sunny but very chilly ahead of the start of day two at Canterbury. The bobble hats are back out in force.
The loss of captain Daniel Bell-Drummond in the gloaming last night for an elegant 70 was a blow to the home side, ending a wonderful stand of 100 with Jack Leaning, which helped Kent recover from 9-2 early in a rain-curtailed innings, having been asked to bat first.
With George Garrett in as a nightwatcher and only three recognised batters to come, Leaning putting his patchy early-season form behind him and sticking around seems to be key to Kent building a solid foundation in this game.
Middx 84-2 v Yorks 159 (play starts 11:00)
Image source, Getty ImagesYorkshire have a lot of work to do to get themselves back into the match following an undistinguished batting effort on day one at Lord's.
Joe Root and Harry Brook both fell cheaply to the Dukes ball as the Tykes lasted just 37.4 overs, with skipper Shan Masood's 33 the top score.
"We got off to a flying start but then had a collapse and that's what you don't want as a batting unit," Masood told BBC West Yorkshire Sport.
"Cricket's never an easy game. Just because you have (big) names on paper doesn't mean you just walk out and get 100s or 200s."
Northants v Glamorgan 203-7 (play starts 11:00)
Image source, Getty ImagesNorthamptonshire head coach John Sadler was delighted to see young fast bowler Raphael Weatherall demonstrate his potential with a couple of wickets on the opening day against Glamorgan.
The 19-year-old is playing only his second first-class game and claimed 2-38 despite the Welsh county fighting back from 27-4 to pass 200 before the close.
"Raphy's first wicket (Carlson) was a belter, it would have got any batter in the world out and he's going to be a very, very good cricketer," Sadler told BBC Radio Northampton.
"The bowlers were smiling in practice (to have the Dukes ball back), and it makes for a good game with the ball swinging a bit."
Good news from BBC Weather, who say that it should be dry for most of us this weekend, but today it will be "chilly in the east and milder in the west".
Better get those snoods out at Chelmsford again!
Following first day's play
Division One
Essex 68-1 v Lancashire 146
Hampshire v Warwickshire 340-4
Kent 111-3 v Surrey
Somerset 116-1 v Nottinghamshire 193
Worcestershire 78-4 v Durham 244
Division Two
Derbyshire v Leicestershire 168-2
Middlesex 84-2 v Yorkshire 159
Northamptonshire v Glamorgan 203-7
Sussex v Gloucestershire 319-8
Image source, Rex Features"As a bowler, it is our job to create doubts in the minds of the batsmen," Pakistan Test legend Wasim Akram once said.
After two weeks of free-scoring action, doubts bubbled into the consciousness of several batters yesterday as the Dukes ball was reintroduced to the County Championship.
Of course, there are always exceptions - and Alex Davies' 149 for Warwickshire took him to 441 runs in just 14 days. Quite a month!
Welcome to our coverage of the second day's play in nine matches. The action starts at 11:00.