Summary

  • 127 wickets fall across nine matches in both divisions

  • Champions Essex fight back with ball against Lancashire after making just 150

  • Australia's Matt Renshaw scores 100 on debut for Somerset v Worcestershire

  • South Africa opener Aiden Markram makes a pair on the same day on his Durham debut

Live Reporting

Adam Williams and Felix Keith

  1. Rushworth on the money early doors

    Durham 91 v Kent 4-1 (3 overs)

    Durham needed to start well after being skittled in a session and Chris Rushworth has provided an early wicket, trapping Daniel Bell-Drummond lbw.

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  2. 50 runs

    Renshaw reaches 50

    Somerset 114-3 (32 overs) v Worcestershire

    Well batted Matt Renshaw! The Aussie number three reaches a maiden County Championship half-century with a two off Josh Tongue.

    He's out there with skipper Tom Abell.

    Matt RenshawGetty Images
  3. sun

    Lovely day for it

    Surrey 89-2 (31 overs) v Hampshire

    The OvalGetty Images

    Brad Wheal continues to test the middle of the Oval wicket. Nothing troubling Dean Elgar and Rory Burns.

  4. Interesting afternoon in store

    After an intriguing first session where in general lively pitches combined well with the perfect overhead conditions to create an even battle, we're back after lunch.

    Can Essex and Yorkshire turn things around with the bat? Can Worcestershire and Hampshire make further inroads? We're about to find out.

  5. wicket

    WICKET Lawrence (c Jennings b Clark) 14

    Essex 68-5 (29 overs) v Lancashire

    Lawrence outRex Features

    Four balls into the resumption at Chelmsford and Essex lose another wicket.

    Jordan Clark has two in an over either side of an interval as he snares Dan Lawrence at third slip to a marvellous catch by Keaton Jennings.

    Essex now with two batsman at the crease who are yet to get off the mark.

  6. Back under way

    Chelmsford umpiresRex Features

    Where did that lunch break go?

    All that debate and reaction has rattled us through it in no time and the umpires are already back out in the middle.

    Here we go then with the afternoon session and I'll hand you over to Felix Keith to take the controls....

  7. Honours even in Derbyshire opener

    Derbyshire 117-3 (30 overs) v Middlesex

    Dave Fletcher
    BBC Radio Derby Sport at Derby

    It was an even first session after Derbyshire were asked to bat first by Middlesex.

    The home side lost Luis Reece to a great catch by Ollie Rayner at second slip and Ben Slater (32) was bowled by James Harris not playing a shot.

    Then, off the final ball of the session, Alex Hughes was caught behind by John Simpson off the bowling of Hilton Cartwright for 15.

    Wayne Madsen was 46 not out with Derbyshire 117 for three.

  8. Even morning at Northampton

    Northamptonshire 99-3 (30 overs) v Warwickshire

    Clive Eakin
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport at Wantage Road

    Northampton has been the only ground today in which the away team opted for a toss. Given they lost it and are in the field, Warwickshire will be happy enough to have taken three wickets.

    The bowling at times has been threatening, but it's also been wayward and Northants have scored at a decent rate despite a very slow, newly laid, outfield.

    For Northants the big disappointment will be the way their three batsmen have got out with Alex Wakely and Rob Newton both falling to ill judged attempted hooks.

  9. Glamorgan make strong start

    Gloucestershire 86-4 (30 overs) v Glamorgan

    Nick Webb
    BBC Wales Sport at Bristol

    It was Glamorgan's opening session at Bristol as Marchant de Lange's dismissal of Jack Taylor for 9 just before lunch tipped the balance the visitors' way.

    A dramatic change of weather conditions halfway through the session made life easier for the batsman after Gloucestershire lost three wickets in the first hour.

    Lukas Carey claimed both openers, Chris Dent and Benny Howell, to reach 50 first-class wickets, while Michael Hogan dismissed Gareth Roderick for 17 before the mist lifted.

    James Bracey is going well on 34 not out with the sun out for the afternoon session and Gloucestershire eyeing a recovery.

  10. For or against the 100-balls idea?

    Tweet via #bbccricket

    The ECB raised a few eye brows yesterday with news that the new city-based competition from 2020 may comprise 100-ball innings.

    Here's what some of you think of the concept...

    Jim McGrath: I'm all for shorter formats but if @ECB_cricket want a 100-ball countdown what's wrong with 10 10-ball overs? #MetricSystem

    Paul Cotterill: My tuppence on the new non-T20 format: add a bit of baseball excitement by a rule change allowing, even encouraging, bowlers to run out batsman backing up, but if they fail award, say 3 runs and a free hit #bbccricket Also, bats that light up and boundary fielders on springs.

    Brad Clark: 100 ball matches? Sounds like it would be Short Attention Span Cricket, and will only help to erode the overall game, in my opinion. Not a fan of that.

    The debate is also continuing on this during the lunch break at Chelmsford on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra with Kevin Howells joined by cricket writers Steve James of The Times and Alan Gardner of ESPN CricInfo.

  11. Somerset prosper after tricky start

    Somerset 105-3 (29 overs) v Worcestershire

    Anthony Gibson
    BBC Somerset at Taunton

    James HildrethRex Features

    James Hildreth, riding his luck, and an impressively determined Matt Renshaw, rescued Somerset on a morning made for seam bowling at Taunton.

    From a perilous 7-2 they’d carried the score to 99 before Hildreth, who’d been badly missed twice by Worcestershire keeper Ben Cox, chanced his arm once too often and was caught in the slips for 48.

    But with Renshaw still there on 45, and the sun gradually drawing the sting from the pitch, Somerset will be the happier of the two sides on 105-3.

  12. Elgar and Burns fight back

    Surrey 83-2 (29 overs) v Hampshire

    Kevan James
    Sport Presenter, BBC Radio Solent at The Oval

    Rory BurnsRex Features

    A session that started well for Hampshire, ended well for Surrey.

    Fidel Edwards got the ball to swing, Kyle Abbott to nip, backed up well by Chris Wood and Brad Wheal.

    At 23-2, Surrey needed some calm heads and they found them in Rory Burns and Dean Elgar.

    They have left the ball well, and picked up the singles where they could. Hampshire will be a bit dissappointed they've gone 95 minutes without picking up another wicket.

    The Oval does not usually help the bowlers but with the poor weather leading up to this game, it certainly has.

    The sun is out and it's strong, for how long the ball continues to move off the straight is anyone's guess. If Surrey can keep top-order wickets in tact as and when batting becomes a lot easier, they will have done well.

  13. 'Intriguing opening session'

    Essex 65-4 (28.2 overs) v Lancashire

    Glenn Speller
    BBC Essex sport at Chelmsford

    Dan LawrenceRex Features

    The County Champions finally getting their title defence under way after a false start at Headingley last week, but Essex have found batting far from easy and it's been Lancashire's morning.

    Under blue, cloudless skies, Lancashire have kept their discipline with the ball and never let Essex get the scoreboard ticking over regularly.

    Graham Onions has been his usual dependable self and Australian Joe Mennie has hurried the batsmen on a number of occasions and the loss of Bopara on the stroke of lunch could be crucial.

    The top two from last season have served-up an intriguing first session.

  14. Notts seamers make hay

    Yorkshire 107-5 v Nottinghamshire

    Isabelle Westbury
    BBC Sport at Emerald Headingley

    Jake Ball celebratesGetty Images

    A better morning for the visitors who were looking to continue things from their victory over Lancashire last week.

    Yorkshire head into lunch five down to Notts at Headingley, with two wickets to Jake Ball to add to his 9-57 last week.

    Yorkshire said they would have batted anyway if there had been a toss, but a tricky start to their championship season.

  15. Lunch time scores

    Division One:

    Chelmsford: Essex 65-4 v Lancashire - Uncontested toss

    Taunton: Somerset 105-3 v Worcestershire - Uncontested toss

    The Oval: Surrey 83-2 v Hampshire - Surrey won the toss

    Emerald Headingley: Yorkshire 107-5 v Nottinghamshire - Uncontested toss

    Division Two:

    Derby: Derbyshire 117-3 v Middlesex - Uncontested toss

    Emirates Chester-le-Street: Durham 91 v Kent - Uncontested toss

    Bristol: Gloucestershire 86-4 v Glamorgan - Uncontested toss

    Leicester: Leicestershire v Sussex 52-3 - Sussex won the toss

    Northampton: Northamptonshire 99-3 v Warwickshire - Northants won the toss

  16. Stay tuned - full lunch time scoreboard glance on its way...

  17. This was not what we expected

    Durham 91 (30.4 overs) v Kent

    Adam Whitty
    BBC Radio Kent

    That was a session that went contrary to our expectations.

    Kent turned up at the Riverside with their heads a little down having been pumped by Gloucestershire last week, but Durham were looking for a clean slate after points deductions ruined their last campaign.

    Matt HenryRex Features

    Matt Henry finished with figures of 5-28

    But it's Kent who have had the reboot, Matt Henry's superb spell leaving Durham in their wake.

    His bowling partners Harry Podmore and Darren Stevens have joined him in bowling full and accurately as they turned Durham over for 91.

    Durham were all at sea, and only just passed their lowest ever total againt Kent.

  18. Tune in for expert insight

    Get yourself across BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra from Chelmsford during this lunch interval to hear an interesting range of views on the county game...

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  19. Somerset's morning at Taunton

    Somerset 105-3 (29 overs) v Worcestershire

    Matt Renshaw and Tom Abell reach the break without further damage done.

    The Aussie number three ends five runs short of a maiden County Championship half-century.

  20. Lunch time at The Oval

    Surrey 83-2 (29 overs) v Hampshire

    Fidel Edwards started excellently, tearing in to remove Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick, but Dean Elgar and Rory Burns have been resolute since in the sunshine.