Steve Patterson really is giving nothing away (a true Yorkshireman), tying Notts down as best he can.

At the other end, Matthew Waite is getting the ball right up there either outside off stump for the drive, or searching for another lbw after getting rid of Chris Nash since lunch.

Nottinghamshire's Joe Clarke's made the most of those deliveries, hitting a beautiful cover drive and clipping two more to the boundary through midwicket.

Moving on at apace now.

Image source, Rex Features

South African Aiden Markram is looking good for Hampshire, forcing the ball away to the boundary off the back foot and then cover driving Sam Cook for another four later in the same over. A single in Cook's next over takes him to 33 and the Hampshire total to 100.

After reaching a half century at Hove, David Wiese (51) plays a loose stroke and loses his off-stump as Leicestershire seamer Tom Taylor becomes the first bowler to take five wickets in a Championship innings this summer. It's the third time the 24-year-old has done so in first-class cricket - and he now has a chance to surpass his career-best 6-61.

Sussex have also lost Chris Jordan since lunch, caught at first slip off Chris Wright after appearing to change his mind about whether to play or leave.

Sam Northeast is the new Hampshire batsman following James Vince's dismissal to the final ball before lunch. He collects the first boundary of his innings with a punch through the covers off the back foot as Jamie Porter digs one in short of a length.

Things did not go according to plan for Sam in 2018 after making the move along the south coast from Kent, as the Championship campaign yielded only 451 runs at an average of 25.

He'll be looking for something a lot better than that this summer.

The beady eyed among you will have noticed new Durham captain Cameron Bancroft is nowhere to be seen today.

He's missing after Cricket Australia and Western Australia asked him to attend an end-of-season awards dinner Down Under.

It means the scrutiny he could face from the English cricketing public just over a year on from his part in the Cape Town ball-tampering affair will have to wait.

His new county don't seem to be missing him though, Durham are dominating so far.

Image source, Rex Features

After a brief look at conditions, umpires Rob Bailey and Richard Illingworth have decided that play will not be possible on the opening day between Somerset and Kent.

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words, so here is one that is spectacular in its verbosity.

Image source, Getty Images

All today's matches are back on to the field for the afternoon session, other than at Taunton where Somerset and Kent won't be optimistic of getting play.

It's wet. Like, proper wet.

Wyvern or dragon?published at 13:38 British Summer Time 5 April 2019

13:38 BST 5 April 2019

Somerset v Kent - start delayed

Kit Harris
BBC Sport commentator

Providing an attractive contrast to the dreary conditions at Taunton is the new Somerset branding. The press box is abuzz with a debate over whether it’s a wyvern or a dragon, but the latter has prevailed.

The damp weather, though, paints a distinctly bleak picture at Taunton, with play surely destined for abandonment in the near future.The umpires are conducting an inspection at the moment.

Image source, Somerset CCC

Surrey have progressed to 350-4 on the second morning of their game against Durham MCCU, with Scott Borthwick making 151 off 200 balls and Mark Stoneman 117 before both retired. Ollie Pope missed out on a big score when he fell to the final ball before lunch for 45.

The champions start their defence of the title against Essex next Thursday.

BBC Radio 5 Live cricket reporter Kevin Howells had a good idea, asking Twitter followers to sum up what's special about a new county season in five words.

We particularly like 'Win,Lose' Draw...Enjoy it!' from @XBergholtTowers, 'Last year before foolish Hundred' from @SimonHemelryk and @northernnumpty's 'Best day of the year'.

We won't mention 'Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire,Yorkshire, Yorkshire' from @jane_tymon because we don't want to be accused of any bias.

Keep 'em coming.

Kevan James
BBC Radio Solent commentator

James Vince batted just how watching England chief selector Ed Smith would have wanted him to. Watchful, determined and with solid judgement on what to leave and what to play. There were, of course, the trademark cover drives thrown in just to remind us all how good he really is.

Porter, Cook and the impressive Quinn could not find a way past him, then up popped Ravi Bopara. Slower of pace, but very canny - and Ravi did the trick.

With Hampshire about to go into the break happy on 71-1, Bopara tempted Vince into his first mistake, playing around a swirly delivery which ended up straight, and he was leg before.

Honours even

Image source, Rex Features

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

A delightful start to the new season for Northamptonshire after no toss as expected at Wantage Road.

The wicket's greenish tinge would have been viewed with relish by a Middlesex pace attack that was welcoming back Steve Finn and Toby Roland-Jones from long injury layoffs.

It was old warhorse Tim Murtagh that made the breakthrough though, nipping one back to beat the inside edge of Rob Newton's forward defence.

And it was Murtagh's return for a second spell that eventually saw off Ricardo Vasconcelos, who nicked off while defending the top of off stump.

The Middlesex attack, who all had the ball coming out nicely at the start of the new season, will begin the next session looking for a little more consistency on that precise length.

Image source, Getty Images

Richard Rae
BBC Radio Leicester Sport

An entertaining morning's cricket at Hove, where fine bowling from Leicestershire opening bowlers Tom Taylor and Chris Wright saw the home side reduced to 36-5 before David Wiese and Stiann Van Zyl took advantage of some inconsistent offerings from change bowlers Gavin Griffiths and Will Davis to biff 64 at just about a run a ball.

Wright's return to bowl Van Zyl before the break meant Leicestershire will still be very much the happier with their morning's work, but if the home team can drag their score up to anything around 200, they'll feel they can make inroads of their own on a pitch that is - unsurprisingly for the time of year - giving the seamers a respectable amount of assistance.

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

Chris Rushworth struck twice in the first over as Durham took a grip after Derbyshire had won the toss and elected to bat first.

He removed Luis Reece with his first ball of the season and Wayne Madsen two balls later as the home side were reduced to 0-2.

There was a brief recovery before Ben Raine was introduced into the attack and he removed Tom Lace (8) and Billy Godleman (19) as Derbyshire slumped to 36-4.

Alex Hughes went eight minutes before lunch for as Derbyshire struggled to 68-5 at the interval.

Division One

Hampshire 71-2 v Essex

Nottinghamshire 112-1 v Yorkshire

Somerset v Kent - no play because of rain

Division Two

Derbyshire 68-5 v Durham

Northamptonshire 78-2 v Middlesex

Sussex 107-6 v Leicestershire

Image source, Getty Images

The home side will certainly be happiest at Trent Bridge. Nottinghamshire were given a good start by the two Bens - Slater and Duckett - before the latter skied a pull shot to long leg off Yorkshire skipper Steven Patterson after reaching 43.

A breakthrough hadn't looked likely, so Duckett will probably be disappointed with the way his innings ended.

A brief lull followed until Chris Nash got going with a few sweet boundaries to reach the interval on 16 with Slater 42 not out having batted in typically calm fashion.

It's been a most un-Jamie Porter-like display from the Essex new-ball bowler this morning.

Having been cover driven for two fours by James Vince in the same over in his first spell, he errs in length again and Aiden Markram helps himself to a copycat double, losing nothing by comparison to his captain as far as style is concerned.

Markram moves on to 16 not out, with Vince on 36 at the other end.

Image source, Rex Features

England captain Joe Root is on for Yorkshire, getting a go with his off-spin before lunch.

He darts a delivery down the leg-side that runs away for four byes to bring up Notts' century. A bit of turn there for Root but his line was a bit off.