Image source, Rex

It was a supposed to be a day when helpful overhead conditions meant that seam bowlers would thrive, with no toss required any of the nine County Championship matches.

That may have been true at Old Trafford and New Road, where 18 and 16 wickets went down respectively, but elsewhere batsmen showed they weren't just prepared to stand back and face the music.

Openers Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins both made centuries as Middlesex gained early supremacy against Essex; Ian Westwood met Warwickshire's batting problems head-on with a superb 153 and Hampshire skipper James Vince helped himself to an unbeaten 143 against Yorkshire.

No-one, though, was the equal of Notts batsman Riki Wessels, who swashbuckled his way to an unbeaten 202 not out - the first double hundred of his career - to lead them to 447 all out against Sussex in Division Two.

What will tomorrow hold? Join us again at 10:30ish to follow the twists and tuns of day two. Until then, I bid you adieu. 

Division One

Hampshire 281-4 v Yorkshire

Lancashire 109 v Somerset 153-8

Middlesex 255-1 v Essex

Warwickshire 292-6 v Surrey

Division Two

Gloucestershire 265-7 v Durham 

Kent 238-8 v Derbyshire

Leicestershire 275-5 v Glamorgan

Nottinghamshire 447 v Sussex 11-3

Worcestershire 188 v Northamptonshire 102-6

Well played Delray Wilkins, who draws on the experience gained from his one previous first-class appearance for Sussex to negotiate the final over of the day from a fire-up James Pattinson. 

Notts, however, are as firmly in the driver's seat as someone who forgot they had a tube of superglue with no cap on in their back pocket before climbing into their car to go to the shops. 

It's going to be a hard day tomorrow for Sussex, thanks chiefly to Riki Wessels, whose career-best 202 not out was the foundation of the imposing Notts total.

So, just one game remaining, with Sussex eager to reach the close at Trent Bridge without losing a wicket. Stuart Broad and James Pattinson share the new ball. This might not be a straightforward task for the Sussex openers. To emphasise the scale of their challenge, England's Jake Ball has to wait for his chance to bowl.

No further play is possible at Edgbaston where the undoubted star of day one was Warwickshire opener Ian Westwood. Recalled to the team after heavy defeats in their opening two matches, he responded with an innings of 153 - and hit the first two sixes of his Championship career in the process. Rikki Clarke and Keith Barker are the not out batsmen, with both yet to score. 

Dean Elgar and Jack Leach play out the final six and a bit overs as Somerset end day one at Old Trafford with a 44-run lead and just two wickets remaining. South Africa Test star Elgar has so far made a vital 66 not out, after being dropped earlier in his innings, on a day when 18 wickets fell for 262 runs.

Liam Livingstone was the star of Lancashire's earlier effort, making 68 with a six and 11 fours, but only one other Red Rose batsman reached double figures as Craig Overton claimed 5-47.

There won't be any more play at the Ageas Bowl where Hampshire are in a handy position, thanks mainly to the efforts of skipper James Vince, who will resume on 143 not out on day two. His innings has lasted 233 balls so far and included 20 boundaries. 

Once again, Ben Coad was the pick of the Yorkshire attack, claiming 3-49 from 18.3 overs - and he now has 21 at a cost of only 13.52 runs each this summer.

Wessels completes double centurypublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 21 April 2017

18:17 BST 21 April 2017

Nottinghamshire 429-9 v Sussex (75.4 overs)

Image source, Rex

And there it is, a career-best 200 not out for Riki Wessels, made from only 170 balls, and completed with a single off Jofra Archer. It has been an exhilarating knock, containing seven sixes and 22 fours, by a batsman who came to the crease with his side in trouble on 84-4. 

Were back out at Trent Bridge, where Riki Wessels has his sights on the first double century of his career. A boundary and a single off Stuart Whittingham take him to 193 not out, six short of his career-best of 199 against Sussex in 2012. 

Just to update you, play has now ended for the day in the Division Two matches at Canterbury, Leicester and Worcester - and they remain off for bad light at Trent Bridge, where Notts are 417-9 against Sussex, with Riki Wessels 188 not out.  

Wickets continue to tumble at Old Trafford, where Luke Procter sent back Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey with successive deliveries. The medium-pacer now has 3-30 from five overs and there's a good chance here that Somerset opener Dean Elgar, now 61 not out, could carry his bat through the entire innings. 

After a couple of looks at the overhead conditions, the umpires decide there will be no further play at Lord's. It certainly hasn't been the day Essex must have hoped for - and it must come as some relief that they at least managed to separate Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins.

The two Middlesex openers put on 241 in 63 overs before Gubbins fell for 101, but Robson is 144 not out and the visitors badly need to get rid of him early on day two.

Clive Eakin
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

It's been an entertaining day's cricket on a cold day at Edgbaston. It's been dominated by Ian Westwood, who batted brilliantly to make 153 on his return to the team.

But Surrey deserve credit for the way they have stuck to their task in the field. They have never looked ragged and although wickets have been hard to come by they have done enough to keep themselves in the game.

Their rewards have come. Mark Footitt finally got Westwood, caught by Scott Borthwick as the opener became the second wicket to fall to the new ball. 

Bad light has brought a halt to play 12 overs before the scheduled close.

Image source, Rex Features

This is the final round of Championship matches until 19 May as the Royal London One-Day Cup takes centre stage over the next few weeks.

The first group matches take place next Thursday and BBC Sport has been talking to Jonathan Trott, Tim Bresnan and Gareth Batty about the prospects for this season's 50-over competition.

You can hear their views in a special podcast by clicking the link here.