Yorkshire looking for late flurrypublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 5 April 2019

17:11 BST 5 April 2019

Notts 278-5 v Yorkshire

A fresh red cherry is held aloft as the innings reaches 80 overs and Ben Coad is brought back into the attack for Yorkshire so he can use the new ball.

Nottinghamshire's Joe Clarke gives it the treatment immediately, clipping one off his hip to the boundary.

Coad will be hoping for a bit more luck than he's had thus far. The Yorkshire's seamer's beaten the bat more than anyone else today but is wicketless.

Duanne Olivier - who's got two wickets already on his Championship debut for the county - is the man from the other end.

Good news for Middlesex fans, New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor will join the club for most of their One-Day Cup games later this month.

Things have certainly quietened down at the Ageas Bowl since Rilee Rossouw 'went down in flames' for 76.

Just seven runs come in the next five overs before Sam Northeast cover drives a ball from Ravi Bopara for four to take his score to 75.

Liam Dawson is still settling in at the other end, with just two runs to his name.

Steve Patterson is pretty sure he should've had Joe Clarke just now, and that would be a HUGE wicket - the Nottinghamshire batsman's unbeaten on 66.

The Yorkshire captain angles one in and it thunders into Clarke's pads, causing a huge appeal.

Not out though says the umpire and Patterson chunters his way back to his mark.

Prior to that shout, Clarke hadn't given Yorkshire a sniff during what's been a superb knock.

Alex Winter
BBC Radio Northampton sport

It's been a very steady day of batting for Northamptonshire - the type of day they haven't produced too often in the past few years.

Today, they have bided their time to build a score against a good attack. Alex Wakely and Rob Keogh have still got out to loose strokes but they can be pleased with their effort so far.

Now some genuine excitement around Wantage Road as West Indies captain Jason Holder walks out to bat. Second ball, he crunches James Harris through point for four. This could be worth watching.

Image source, Getty Images

Steven Finn has his first wicket of the summer for Middlesex, having Rob Keogh caught for 46, to reduce Northamptonshire to 224-5 at Wantage Road. West Indies skipper Jason Holder is now at the crease.

Durham have claimed an eighth Derbyshire wicket, with Ben Raine bowling Logan van Beek - but Harvey Hosein is still there on 73 not out, with his side 192-8.

Wickets continue to tumble at Hove, where Leicestershire are 60-5, replying to Sussex's 173 all out. Newcomer Mir Hamza has 3-26 so far, including the recent dismissal of Paul Horton for 26.

Hants duo post 100 standpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 5 April 2019

16:38 BST 5 April 2019

Hampshire 248-3 v Essex

Rilee Rossouw belts another six off Simon Harmer over long-on - the fourth of his innings - and he goes aerial again at the start of the next over, bowled by Matt Quinn, for a boundary that brings up a century partnership with Sam Northeast.

Rossouw is now into the 70s and unless Essex find a way to curb his attacking instincts, we may not have long to wait for the first Championship hundred of the new season.

for Sam Northeastpublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 5 April 2019

16:23 BST 5 April 2019

Hampshire 230-3 v Essex

He was beaten to fifty by partner Rilee Rossouw, but Sam Northeast won't worry about that. After five dot balls from Matt Quinn, he steers one away through square leg for two runs and brings up his half-century off 95 deliveries. Their stand is now worth 84.

Clarke makes 50published at 16:22 British Summer Time 5 April 2019

16:22 BST 5 April 2019

Notts 235-4 v Yorkshire

Image source, Rex Features

Joe Clarke (52 not out) becomes the second Nottinghamshire batsman to make a half-century today, following Ben Slater (76), and on his Championship debut for the county too.

He reaches 50 in beautiful fashion, a back-foot off drive stroked to the boundary off the bowling of Duanne Olivier.

Every Notts batsman has got in so far, can Clarke can be the one to reach three figures and press home their advantage?

for Rilee Rossouwpublished at 16:18 British Summer Time 5 April 2019

16:18 BST 5 April 2019

Hampshire 228-3 v Essex

Rilee Rossouw reaches a 47-ball half-century by smashing Simon Harmer down the ground for six and clears the rope again two balls later with a slog-sweep. Clearly, the chance to put feet up in the dressing room during the tea interval hasn't had a calming effect on the left-hander.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

Northamptonshire take tea the happier of the two sides as they continue to defy the the visiting pace attack.

All four wickets to fall have gone to Tim Murtagh, whose accuracy has led the way for Middlesex.

Alex Wakely was his latest victim after an resilient 76, although he should have fallen to the luckless Toby Roland-Jones on 39, but the chance went down at second slip.

Both Roland-Jones and Steven Finn on their returns from injury have worked up some steam in good spells but it was the former in particular that grabbed the eye with a mid-afternoon onslaught that tormented the batsmen without reward.

Knight of the realm he may be, but Sir Alastair Cook isn't above a bit of fetching and carrying....

Image source, Getty Images

Persistence has paid off at Hove, where Hasan Azad is making his Championship debut for Leicestershire - at the age of 25.

Born in Pakistan, Azad's first eight first-class appearances were all for Loughborough MCCU before he played against them for Leicestershire last month and made 139.

Sadly his first Championship innings only lasted 14 balls, before he was caught at slip off a rising Ollie Robinson delivery for six.

The visitors, though, are still on top after bowling out Sussex in less than 45 overs.

Image source, Rex Features

Rilee Rossouw continues his assault on the Essex attack by pounding two fours over the leg-side in the same Jamie Porter over, but neither he nor partner Sam Northeast is able to reach 50 before the tea interval.

Rossouw has 45 from 41 balls, with Northeast on 49 after blocking out the final four deliveries from Simon Harmer before the interval. Their partnership is worth 69.

The normally prolific wicket-taker Porter continues to have a bad day, conceding 62 from 13 overs so far, including 10 boundaries.

Dave Bracegirdle
BBC Radio Nottingham commentator

Joe Clarke’s first County Championship innings for Nottinghamshire lit up the opening afternoon at Trent Bridge.

The former Worcestershire batsman reached tea unbeaten on 40.

Yorkshire seamer Matthew Waite picked up a wicket early in the session, pinning Chris Nash lbw for 21 with a full-pitched delivery that the right-hander played around.

Ben Slater fell at the start of Duanne Olivier’s comeback spell, feathering behind for 76 which he amassed from 163 balls.

Clarke quickly got into his stride, driving crisply on both sides of the wicket in an impressive debut. His captain Steven Mullaney has also rattled along at a brisk rate and is undefeated on 31 at the break.

Remember, no matter how chilly or overcast it is around the various grounds, no matter how many layers the players are wearing, it could be worse (or better, depending on whether you prefer skiing to cricket).

Hampshire collect their first batting point as Sam Northeast helps himself to two boundaries off spinner Simon Harmer, and brings up a fifty partnership with Rilee Rossuow in just nine overs as well.

The first sees him rock onto the back foot to put the ball away through the off-side and the second is tickled away round the corner, taking Northeast on to 45 not out.