Danny Lamb has just pulled off a blinding catch at Old Trafford. Definitely not hat weather for the umpires in this freezing wind.

Image source, Rex Features

Gloomy skies in Birmingham.

Players have made their way off the field for the time being due to bad light.

Sussex opener Tom Haines now has a career-best 125 at Old Trafford. Sussex are 205-6 with all-rounder Ollie Robinson also going nicely on 40.

Kent wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson is also on 40, while Jack Leaning has 71. Kent are 208-4 against Northants.

Warwickshire have all but polished off Derbyshire's first innings at Edgbaston after picking up another wicket just after tea.

Craig Miles has accounted for Michael Cohen to leave Derbyshire on 168-9.

Jack Burnham meanwhile did not add to his 42 after the interval at Trent Bridge as Durham have been pegged back to 180-5 by Nottinghamshire.

Rain stops playpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 8 April 2021

16:33 BST 8 April 2021

Gloucestershire v Surrey 207-8

It's started raining after tea in Bristol and they're off.

Image source, Getty Images

This could be a pivotal session at Lord's.

If Somerset can rattle through the Middlesex middle and lower order they'll feel like they've had a decent first day.

If Sam Robson is still there at stumps, Middlesex could well be on their way to a match-winning first-innings score.

All to play for.

Nick Webb
BBC Radio Wales at Headingley

A purple patch from the Yorkshire seamers in mid afternoon saw the home side get on top and prevented the battle of the Root brothers getting personal.

Billy batted for more than three hours for a gritty 43, but was dismissed well before Joe bowled his first over just before tea.

Root jnr shared a stand of 82 with Kiran Carlson, who hit an attractive 55, including 10 fours.

Ben Coad, Matthew Fisher and skipper Steve Patterson are battling for the bowling honours going into the final session, but all the players deserve credit for their time on the field in freezing temperatures and an unpleasant arctic wind.

Final sessions on this opening day of the County Championship season are now mostly under way.

We may even have a few games finish close to 6pm. Enjoy, it won't last long when the summer monsoons arrive.

Adrian Harms
Sports reporter, BBC Sussex

Image source, Rex Features

After a disappointing morning Sussex have had much the better of the afternoon at Old Trafford led by Tom Haines.

22-year-old Haines scored a century on his last first-class appearance at The Oval in September, and has followed that up with an unbeaten 122 today.

He’s had to ride his luck having been dropped three times twice when only in single figures, but he’s led Sussex back from a precarious position of 40-4.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Somerset at Lord's

Image source, Getty Images

The saving grace of another reality-checking session for Somerset was the bowling of Jack Leach, who found rhythm and consistency in a spell of 14 overs, picking up the wicket of Robbie White. The England spinner has 1-24.

But, as this morning, the man of the moment was Sam Robson, who moved remorselessly on to the 24th century of his first-class career, offering no further chances to the bowlers, or indeed much hope, in the process.

So far, he has been the difference between these two sides.

Mary Bacon: Logged on to find #bbccricket #trending

That's the way we roll Mary.

Richard Rae
BBC Radio Leicester Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Contrasting centuries from James Vince and Tom Alsop have seen Hampshire establish a dominant position at tea in their match against Leicestershire.

Vince, who was very nearly dismissed first ball when he edged a Chris Wright delivery just short of Colin Ackermann at second slip, has timed the ball superbly, taking full toll of some wayward bowling from an inexperienced Leicestershire attack in racing to his century off just 81 balls, hitting 17 fours and two sixes.

Alsop's ton has been somewhat less fluent, coming off 153 balls and including 15 fours, but has been equally valuable for the visitors, who looked to be in a spot of trouble on 127-3 when Wright dismissed Sam Northeast leg before wicket shortly after lunch.

A scoring rate of 4.6 runs per over attests both to the brilliance of Vince's batting and the inconsistency of the bowling throughout what was a chastening session for Paul Nixon's side.

They've got through the afternoon session overs at last in Leeds.

Joe Root's been handed an over before tea with Dom Bess twirling away at the other end.

Dan Douthwaite (19 not out) is standing firm for Glamorgan alongside Timm van der Gugten (15 not out) to keep the visitors in the fight.

All of the matches, bar Yorkshire v Glamorgan, are at tea. Here's a look at the scores...

Group 1

Essex 167-3 v Worcestershire

Nottinghamshire v Durham 179-4

Warwickshire v Derbyshire 164-8

Group 2

Gloucestershire v Surrey 202-8

Leicestershire v Hampshire 292-3

Middlesex 208-4 v Somerset

Group 3

Northamptonshire v Kent 179-4

Sussex 194-6 v Lancashire

Yorkshire v Glamorgan 159-7

Another session probably just shaded by Middlesex but the game still feels in the balance at Lord's.

Sam Robson is unbeaten on 126, but Jack Leach's dismissal of Robbie White just before the interval has given Somerset a boost.

Big final session on day one coming up.

Image source, Getty Images

Tea intervals at both Trent Bridge and Edgbaston have also arrived.

Warwickshire have picked up another wicket just before the break to leave Derbyshire on 164-8.

Skipper Wil Rhodes bagging Fynn Hudson-Prentice for 14.

Durham meanwhile are now 179-4 against Nottinghamshire, Jack Burnham (42 not out) will be hoping to emulate Alex Lees (58) and David Bedingham (57) with a half-century.

for Alsoppublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 8 April 2021

15:59 BST 8 April 2021

Leics v Hants 292-3

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Alsop joins James Vince in the century club in the following over.

They've put on 165 in less than a session. Incredible batting from this Hampshire pair.

And that's tea.

Matt Mehdi-Daley: James Vince doing what James Vince does best and playing beautifully with a opening day 100 off 81 balls just to keep him in the mind of Ashes selectors