Summary

  • Commentary of every game available at top of this page

  • Northants-Glos called off because Northants player tests positive for Covid-19

  • Rory Burns captains Surrey, Jack Leach (Somerset) & Zak Crawley (Kent) also in action

  • Lancashire opener Keaton Jennings out for golden duck

  • All 18 counties split into three regional groups of six

  • Each side playing final group game; two teams with most points contest five-day final

  • Central Group top two, Worcestershire and Somerset, meet at New Road

  • North Group leaders Derbys at Lancs, second-placed Yorks host Leics

  • Essex, Kent, Middlesex and Hants in contention in South Group

  • Get involved #bbccricket

Live Reporting

Adam Williams and Josef Rindl

  1. Essex enjoy strong first session

    Essex v Middlesex 68-6

    South Group leaders Essex have made a decent start to the game at Chelmsford with the ball.

    But of course, the old addage of "you don't know what sort of pitch it is until both sides bat on it" may come back to bite a couple of our local radio colleagues!

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  2. wicket

    WICKET

    Jones c du Plooy b Melton 23 (Lancashire 58-3 v Derbyshire)

    Because of our delayed start, we haven't taken lunch yet in Liverpool.

    And Derbyshire have capitalised, breaking this tricky partnership as Dustin Melton takes the scalp of Rob Jones who looked good on 23.

    Lancashire captain Dane Vilas now walks to the crease, looks like we're going to keep playing.

  3. Lunch time scores

    North Group:

    Aigburth: Lancashire 58-2 v Derbyshire - Lancashire won toss and elected to bat

    Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Durham 68-4 - Durham won the toss and elected to bat

    Headingley: Yorkshire v Leicestershire 52-4 - Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bowl

    Central Group:

    Cardiff: Glamorgan v Warwickshire 89-3 - Glamorgan won the toss and elected to bowl

    Bristol: Gloucestershire 66-6 v Northamptonshire - Northants won the toss and elected to bowl

    Worcester: Worcestershire v Somerset 83-1 - Somerset won the toss and elected to bat

    South Group:

    The Oval: Surrey v Sussex 39-0 - Sussex won toss and elected to bat

    Chelmsford: Essex v Middlesex 68-6 - Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat

    Canterbury: Kent v Hampshire 89-2 - Kent won the toss and elected to bowl

  4. Time for some lunch

    J OvertonRex Features

    And for the most part, that is the end of the first session in these final round fixtures.

    A light shower started a Headingley to bring the players off a couple of balls early between Yorkshire and Leicestershire, while after a later start at The Oval on this first day, they're playing on there between Surrey and Sussex as new man Jamie Overton toils away with the ball.

    We'll show you all the scores on the doors in a short while.

  5. wicket

    WICKET

    Weatherley lbw b Podmore 37 (Kent v Hampshire 85-2)

    PodmoreGetty Images

    Kent finally enjoying a bit of reward late in this opening session with the ball.

    Harry Podmore traps Hampshire opener Joe Weatherley plumb in front for 37.

    Two key breakthroughs for the hosts after a strong opening partnership from Hampshire.

  6. 50 runs

    Partnership

    Worc v Somerset 70-1

    A timely 50 partnership from Tom Abbel and Tom Lammonby has put the visitors firmly in control at New Road.

    Lunch is only round the corner now. Worcestershire desperately need a wicket.

  7. wicket

    WICKET

    White c A Cook b Porter 12 (Middlesex 56-6 v Essex)

    WhiteRex Features

    And another Middlesex wicket falls to give Essex a second bowling bonus point on this first morning.

    Former Essex loanee Robbie White edges Jamie Porter to the waiting hands of Sir Alastair Cook at first slip for a simple catch.

    Porter now with figures of 3-23.

  8. Lancashire 42-2 v Derbys

    Lancashire have countered Derbyshire's fast start and are quickly approaching 50.

    Frustrating for the visitors who will be thinking about grabbing one or two more scalps before lunch.

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  9. Get Involved using #bbccricket

    Ruth Rebecca Jones: Even Glamorgan fans are hoping deep down that Ian Bell makes a ton and reaches it with a perfect cover drive.

    Definitely Ruth! The Glamorgan Social Media team are even tweeting about Bell drives...

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  10. wicket

    WICKET

    Holland c Kuhn b Milnes 42 (Hampshire 69-1 v Kent)

    Kent finally get a breakthrough at Canterbury after a promising opening partnership from Hampshire.

    Ian Holland is caught at first slip off Matt Milnes by Heino Kuhn above his head as he tries to cut a short ball to the boundary.

    A decent 42 there from the Hampshire all-rounder to get his side off to a strong start.

  11. Worc v Somerset 50-1

    Half an hour left in the session and Somerset have just nudged past 50.

    Tom Lammonby and Tom Abell have countered nicely after Ben Green's early wicket. They've seen off the new ball and I should imagine they'll be looking to push on.

    The visitors are in control although Worcestershire are only a couple of wickets away from dragging this one back in their direction.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Andersson c Khushi b Harmer 5 (Middlesex 50-5)

    You can't keep Simon Harmer out of the wickets for long once he comes on to bowl....

    Already plenty of turn and bounce for the Essex off-spinner.

    But he picks up a bit of a gift of a wicket first up as Martin Andersson lofts a loose stroke to deep mid-wicket to give Feroze Khushi a simple catch and Essex a fifth wicket.

  13. rain stops play

    Light Rain in Liverpool

    Lancashire 22-2 v Derbys

    I was seriously worried for a moment. You could it spitting in Lancashire's match with Derbyshire.

    Thankfully the clouds pass and we can play through. The visitors are still searching for a third wicket with Josh Bohannon on 13 and Rob Jones on nine.

  14. Glam v Warwickshire 66-3

    We're also keeping an eye on Ian Bell.

    It's definitely a bowler-friendly pitch in Cardiff but the England legend is going along nicely. He's on 25 from 28 balls and Warwickshire now move to 66-3.

    I don't want to jinx anything but Bell is only 75 short of a 79th first-class century!

    Ian BellGetty Images

  15. Gloucestershire 38-4 v Northants

    Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire are playing for pride in Bristol.

    But it's the visitors who are dominating. Two quick wickets - Jack White taking the scalp of Graeme van Buuren (22) and Tom Lace being removed by Will Procter - have left the hosts on 38-4.

  16. wicket

    WICKET

    Dearden c&b Olivier 20 (Leicestershire 36-4 v Yorkshire)

    Yorkshire's strong start with the ball continues at Headingley.

    Duanne Olivier into the attack for the hosts to grab the fourth Leicestershire wicket to fall as he takes a neat caught and bowled to dismiss Harry Dearden for 20.

  17. Hampshire continue promising start

    Kent v Hampshire 58-0

    Kent's bowlers still yet to make a breakthrough after winning the toss earlier at Canterbury.

    Hampshire openers Joe Weatherley (18 not out) and Ian Holland (35 not out) have so far shown the perfect balance between patience and opportunism.

    Kent remember started the round eight points behind South Group leaders Essex.

  18. Burns back to skipper Surrey

    Surrey v Sussex - play starts at 12:00 BST

    Oval tossGetty Images

    Some big names back for Surrey as they take on Sussex in their final South Group match.

    Neither side can reach the final in this one, but still some big opportunities to make an impression.

    England opener Rory Burns is back to captain the hosts, Hashim Amla makes his first red ball appearance of the season, Ben Foakes will keep wicket and Jamie Overton will also make his county debut after joining on loan from Somerset for the remainder of the season.

    Sussex have won the toss and will bat first. Play starts at midday.

  19. North Group Round-up

    • Yorkshire have already collected a first bowling point with Leicestershire's Hassan Azad, Sam Evans and Colin Ackermann all falling in the opening hour's play. It's 28-3 in that fixture.
    • Derbyshire, fighting for top spot with the White Rose County, have also started fast with the ball despite a delayed start. Two quick wickets to remove both Lancashire's openers mean it's now 9-2 in Liverpool.
    • Meanwhile, it's evenly poised between Notts and Durham with the latter on 29-1 after Zak Chappell trapped Sean Dickson lbw for seven.

  20. Central Group Round-up

    • Somerset have countered nicely against Worcestershire at New Road after Ben Green was run out superbly by Ed Barnard. It's 42-1 there.
    • Ian Bell, playing in his final red ball game for Warwickshire has raced to 17 from 15 deliveries, but Glamorgan remain on top with the score on 44-3.
    • Northamptionshire removed both Gloucestershire openers Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey in the first hour, but number three Graeme van Buuren now looks set on 22 not out. The score in that one 33-2.