Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Following a fairly sedate first 10 overs everything suddenly took off at New Road.

Durham put Worcestershire in under grey skies but it was only following the introduction of Brydon Carse in the 11th over they began to make inroads.

Jake Libby looked a tad out of sorts against the extra pace and cut Carse to backward point where Alex Lees took a cracking catch, diving low to his left. Libby made 13 and the hosts were 19-1 after 10.4 overs. After 12.1 overs they were 20-4, losing three wickets on 20 in the space of five balls!

Matty Potts took a double wicket maiden as Tom Fell and Gareth Roderick went lbw for one and nought. Then Daryl Mitchell was lbw to Carse from the other end for six.

Essex continue to chip away against the Nottinghamshire top order, with Ben Slater recently dismissed for 25 by Shane Snater.

And now more bad news for Notts, with Joe Clarke having to retire hurt after taking a blow to the forearm.

Mentioned how batting has been tricky at Cardiff this season and so it's proving again.

Lancashire have lost three early wickets, two of them to James Weighell, on loan from Durham.

Gloucestershire have enjoyed a dream start to the season, leading Group Two.

But they failed to put any daylight between themselves, Somerset and Hampshire last week at The Oval, taking just two points in an innings defeat - their first loss of the season.

So they still have it all to do in their remaining three matches to qualify for Division One.

Remarkably, for the eighth straight match the Glosters are fielding first, this time having lost the toss.

While we were trying to keep up with the mayhem at Taunton, it's been a similar tale for Worcestershire at New Road.

The Pears have lost four wickets in the space of 11 balls.

Tom Fell (1) and Gareth Roderick (0) both fell in the same over to Matthew Potts, before Daryl Mitchell was trapped lbw by Brydon Carse.

Extraordinary! Four down!

What a superb bit of bowling this has been from Keith Barker, who has now pinned George Bartlett in front third ball.

Barker has 4-4.

And again!

It's Keith Barker again, this time having James Hildreth caught behind for one.

It's been a remarkable opening spell for Barker, who has figures of 3-4 off 6.1 overs, including four maidens.

Somerset are in all sorts of trouble.

Another for Hampshire and another for Keith Barker!

The 34-year-old takes the outside edge of Somerset skipper Tom Abell and it's pouched safely by Liam Dawson.

This is a really important game in the context of Group Two, with Hampshire starting the match 10 points behind their second-placed hosts.

Yorkshire fought so well in the second innings last week at Old Trafford but eventually fell to a humiliating innings defeat by their Roses rivals.

They've got Northants and Glamorgan hunting them down for second place in Group Three and could do with a settling week back at Headingley.

It's a good start having won the toss.

Alistair Orr, a 20-year-old from Eastbourne, is making his first-class debut for Sussex. Good luck.

Worcestershire's openers Daryl Mitchell and Jake Libby had been making slow and steady progress having been put in at New Road this morning, but Durham have just found a breakthrough.

Brydon Carse is the man with it, four balls into his first over, dismissing Libby for 13.

Tom Fell joins Mitchell in the middle.

It's been a similar tale for Warwickshire at Derbyshire, who have taken two early wickets to reduce their visitors to 16-2.

Sam Conners has taken both, having Will Rhodes caught by Billy Godleman and then bowling Pieter Malan two overs later.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Nottinghamshire haven't made the best of starts at Chelmsford.

Australian Peter Siddle has struck twice, first dismissing Ben Compton for 11 and then seeing off Ben Duckett for two.

Northamptonshire very much in the hunt to qualify from Group Three as well and they will hope for another win at beleaguered, bottom of the group Kent.

They begin the round just two points behind Yorkshire in second.

Ricardo Vasconcelos is trying to extend his excellent season and has struck five early boundaries after the visitors won the toss at the St Lawrence Ground.

So who can stop Lancashire?

They've just about swept all before them so far this season and only rain has denied them more than their four wins from seven matches.

They probably need two more wins to make mathematically certain of a top-two finish.

They've lost the toss and lost Keaton Jennings early at Cardiff where conditions have been very tricky all season.

Glamorgan begin the round 19 points off second place and very much in the hunt for Division One cricket come September.

Somerset have lost opener Eddie Byrom for an eight-ball duck, bowled by Keith Barker.

Perfect start for Hampshire.

With play just beginning to get under way across the country, we're pleased to report that we should be set for fair weather - and a full day's play - in all of our matches...

Group One

Derbyshire v Warwickshire

Essex v Nottinghamshire

Worcestershire v Durham

Group Two

Leicestershire v Gloucestershire

Somerset v Hampshire

Group Three

Glamorgan v Lancashire

Kent v Northamptonshire

Yorkshire v Sussex

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the opening day of eight more County Championship matches.

We'll be bringing you text updates throughout the day, while you can also listen to live ball-by-ball commentary of every game by selecting the appropriate link at the top of this page.