Frustrating news from the Cooper Associates County Ground where the umpires, after taking a look at conditions, have decided that a further inspection is needed at mid-day.

The wait goes on for Somerset and Kent.

Ben Coad, who was a bit unlucky to finish day one with figures of 0-76, is first up for Yorkshire this morning. Centurion Joe Clarke scores his first couple of runs of the day with a nudge into the off-side.

Duanne Olivier strikes Tom Moores on the pads at the other end, but it's a fairly half-hearted shout from the Yorkshire fielders. I won't be cracking out the 'Appeal' icon for that one.

Olivier then beats Moores' outside edge with a testing delivery, and almost nips one back on to off stump. Good start from the South African.

for Sam Northeastpublished at 11:04 British Summer Time 6 April 2019

11:04 BST 6 April 2019

Hampshire 309-4 v Essex

Image source, Rex

Five balls is all it takes for Sam Northeast to collect the six runs he needed overnight to bring up his 22nd first-class century - and second in the County Championship for Kent, following his 129 against Surrey almost 12 months ago.

Two runs from Matt Quinn's opening delivery is followed by a clip through mid-wicket later in the over for a 13th boundary to carry him to three figures.

Well batted, Sam.

OK, so we have to wait for action at Taunton, but the players are out at the other five grounds, so let us in a very sedate, non-shouty, English way, prepare ourselves to rumble.

Kit Harris
BBC Sport commentator

It’s beach weather here at Taunton. Winter beach weather. Single figures, a chill breeze and the tang of salt air. Simon Lee’s groundstaff have produced what looks like a good seamer with a neat, even covering of grass but the outfield is very soft (though not actually wet) in places and the scheduled start time will see only an umpires’ inspection.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Hampshire signing Aiden Markram was a relieved man on day one against Essex - after enduring a nightmare start for previous county Durham last summer.

Normally an opener, South African Markram batted at number three to allow skipper James Vince to take a place at the top of the order and made 63 against the 2017 champions.

"I'll take it. I had a tough one at Durham last year. I got a pair on day one, the second game was washed out and in the third game against Leicestershire first innings, I got a duck as well," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"I had a chuckle to myself when I got off the mark. I enjoyed it out there, the wicket actually played pretty well. I'm grateful for that as a batter and the team is in in a good position, which is the main aim."

Our BBC local radio 'voice artistes' are in place to bring you ball-by-ball coverage of the second day's play in our six Championship matches - just choose your preferred commentary stream from the links at the top of the page and tune in.

We will keep you up to date with events elsewhere with our regular text updates.

Image source, BBC Sport

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Australia batsman Matt Renshaw made a big impression at Taunton last summer, scoring more than 500 runs in six games for Somerset, including three centuries.

Now, though, he is back on familiar territory wearing a Kent shirt and looking to bounce back from a disappointing winter when he averaged under 22 in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland - knowing that this is his last chance to stake a claim for a place in the Ashes tour squad.

He told BBC Radio Kent: "I actually decided to come over at this time of year because I knew that April and May would be very testing conditions and that could help develop me as a player.

"It's going to be quite strange playing against Somerset as this is the first time I've ever played against a former team but it should be fun.

"Of course I want to score runs and the Ashes is big, but at the same time it's important not to think about making the team for that too much because it's four months away."

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It was a special opening day of the season for Nottinghamshire's Joe Clarke, who became the first player to score a century in the 2019 County Championship.

He'll resume on 109 not out against Yorkshire and told BBC Radio Nottingham: “I watched Ben Slater and Ben Duckett cash in last week at Cambridge and would have loved to have spent more time in the middle but I’ll happily take this instead.

“It was a special day for me to get a hundred first game at Trent Bridge, I couldn’t ask for anything more."

Clarke made a hundred for Worcestershire at Trent Bridge last year and added: “I love batting here because you get value for your shots. I’m the lucky one today who managed to cash in and hopefully we can go on tomorrow and make it into a massive score and then really have a good crack at the Yorkshire boys.”

Yesterday's watery weather was all confined to the West Country, so a full day's play was possible in five of our six Championship games. Today it looks like eastern areas are more likely to see rain, but here's BBC forecaster Ben Rich with a video forecast.

Image source, Rex Features

It was a tough first day for Essex at the Ageas Bowl yesterday as the 2017 county champions were dominated by Hampshire's batsmen.

Things were made worse by an injury to their wicketkeeper, Adam Wheater, and Essex have today confirmed that he will have an operation on his damaged thumb this morning, and could be out for up to six weeks.

Dan Lawrence took over in Wheater's absence yesterday, but it will be 18-year-old Will Buttleman donning the gloves for the remainder of the match.

Division One

Hampshire 303-4 v Essex

Nottinghamshire 324-5 v Yorkshire

Somerset v Kent - no play on day one because of rain

Division Two

Derbyshire 197 v Durham 41-3

Northamptonshire 310-6 v Middlesex

Sussex 173 v Leicestershire 131-5

After no play at all on day one, there are still one or two damp patches on the outfield at Taunton, so Somerset and Kent will have to wait to get their match under way.

Umpires Richard Illingworth and Rob Bailey are planning to take a look at 11:00, so let's hope they will be able to give the thumbs up very soon.

Kent assistant coach Allan Donald has been out to take a look at the pitch - and when the all-clear is given, BBC Somerset's Anthony Gibson expects the visitors will ask Somerset to bat, without the need for a toss.

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The 2019 County Championship is one day old - let's see what day two has to offer.

Will we see England skipper Joe Root out in the middle at Trent Bridge with the pads on? That may depend on how quickly Yorkshire can see off Notts centurion Joe Clarke.

Hampshire's Sam Northeast is within touching distance of a ton against Essex, while Somerset and Kent will be happy just to get out on the field after yesterday's wash-out.

Welcome to our coverage. Play starts at 11:00 BST.

Image source, Rex Features