Image source, Rex Features

Sussex opener Tom Haines sneaked up on the blindside on Monday to become the first player to score 1,000 runs in this season's Championship.

David Bedingham (Durham), Jake Libby (Worcestershire) and Sam Robson (Middlesex) all had chances to beat him to four figures, but it was Haines who did so with scores of 156 and 87 to reach 1,030.

Bedingham, Libby and Robson need another eight, 24 and 27 respectively and a couple of decent scores by Matt Critchley (Derbyshire) and Kiran Carlson (Glamorgan) could also see them reach 1,000 by season's end.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the closest to a 1,000 among the Division One teams vying for the title is Lancashire's Josh Bohannon with 772.

Division One

Ageas Bowl: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire

Hampshire won the toss and will bat

Taunton: Somerset v Lancashire

Somerset won the toss and put Lancashire in

Headingley: Yorkshire v Warwickshire

Yorkshire won the toss and put Warwickshire in

Division Two

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire won the toss and put Glamorgan in

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Durham

Northants won the toss and will bat

Kia Oval: Surrey v Essex

Essex won the toss and will bat

Division Three

Derby: Derbyshire v Kent

Derbyshire won the toss and put Kent in

Leicester: Leicestershire v Sussex

Sussex won the toss and will bat

Lord's: Middlesex v Worcestershire

Worcestershire won toss and put Middlesex in

Image source, Rex Features

Friday's cancellation of the fifth Test at Old Trafford because of positive Covid tests among India's backroom staff has provided an unexpected bonus for some of the Championship's title-chasing sides.

All-rounder Chris Woakes has been cleared to play for Warwickshire in their game against Yorkshire, who have batsman Dawid Malan in their side - Malan made 199 in his only previous Championship innings this summer.

Haseeb Hameed will play for leaders Nottinghamshire against Hampshire, and there is a double boost for Somerset, who have been able to include in their squad Craig Overton and Jack Leach against Lancashire.

Two England batsmen will be on opposite sides in Division Two with Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence involved for Surrey against Essex.

"Today will be a mostly dry and fine day with some sunny spells developing, particularly across the south-east of England. Wales and parts of south-west England will see rain arrive in the afternoon" is what it says on the BBC Weather site.

Let's hope the rain from the west is 'subject to delay'.

Everyone wants to find out more about Emma Raducanu following her amazing triumph at the US Open tennis.

What we'd like to know is whether she's a fan of cricket. Get in touch if you have the answer to that question

Welcome to a new round of County Championship games.

New (red) balls have been removed from their packaging and we will be serving up full coverage throughout the day. Play starts at 10:30.

Image source, Rex Features