It's Friday. I's five past two. And it's fish and chips day in the Tom Dollery Lounge at Edgbaston.

But it's knife and fork back down again as we're back underway in Birmingham - and Surrey are past 250 to claim a second batting point.

50 for Matt Critchleypublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 8 April 2022

14:00 BST 8 April 2022

Essex 373-6 v Kent

Image source, Rex Features

An impressive start to his Essex career for Matt Critchley, who reaches a half-century off 97 balls as he pulls Jackson Bird to the mid-wicket boundary for his sixth four of the innings.

Essex pushing towards 400 in the process.

Hampshire continuing to pile on the runs here and put away any loose balls from the Somerset attack.

Nick Gubbins upper cuts for four, the drives through the covers for a couple before pulling Marchant de Lange fine for four more all in the space of an over.

He moves to 18 off 36 balls while Joe Weatherley plods on at the other end to reach a career-best 128 not out and also bring up a 50 partnership for the second wicket.

Curious goings on here from a little earlier at Wantage Road....

Image source, Getty Images

Right then - lunch interval in most of our matches has come and gone.

They're striding back out to the middle here at the Ageas Bowl and a few other places.

Eyes down once more.

Ed Seabourne
BBC Radio Bristol at Wantage Road

A better morning for Gloucestershire than even many optimistic supporters could have hoped for.

James Bracey's towering six that left Wantage Road, a perfect way to celebrate a beautifully-crafted century.

Naseem Shah provided admirable companionship, before opening the shoulders himself in a stand that could prove critical in this match.

Ryan Higgins has done what Ryan Higgins does with the new ball, but Gloucestershire will be only too aware after their own innings that things could turn again in the afternoon!

Sam Dalling
BBC Radio London at Lord's

Image source, Getty Images

Time to for a switch-around here.

Middlesex dismissed for 401, the first time they’ve passed that particularly milestone at Lord’s since September 2018 (also against, you guessed it, Derbyshire).

The visitors will be pleased with their morning’s labour. Joyless initially, they picked up the final six wickets for just 69 runs.

County cricket’s tallest tweaker Alex Thomson finished with four, while Sam Conners grabbed three.

All of those were snaffled behind by Brooke Guest. Notoriously difficult to keep here at Lord’s, but Guest was practically perfect.

Excited to see what Shan Masood (pictured above) can do. Tim Murtagh is one wicket shy of 900 red-ball victims.

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex at Hove

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It’s not often a spinner takes the bowling honours in the first round of County Championship games, but that’s the case at Hove where Liam Patterson-White has bowled beautifully taking 5-84 in 45 overs.

On a pitch offering some encouragement he’s bowled with excellent control, and the Sussex spinners will be hoping they can follow his example.

The highlight for Sussex has been a maiden first-class century for 21-year-old Tom Clark (pictured above), who batted beautifully ably supported this morning by 17-year-old Archie Lenham, who made 23.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Somerset at the Ageas Bowl

Image source, Getty Images

More hard graft for Somerset's bowlers and fielders this morning, on an increasingly flat pitch, in the face of some skilful and determined batting from Joe Weatherley and Ian Holland.

Weatherley duly reached his century, but Holland provided Somerset with their sole success as he nudged Roelof van der Merwe's slow left-arm to leg slip, where Ben Green took a sharp catch.

The bowlers kept a better, fuller length for most of the morning, but with Weatherley well set and Nick Gubbins just moving into his stride, more hard work is surely in store for the visitors this afternoon.

Glenn Speller
BBC Essex at Chelmsford

Image source, Rex Features

Eighty-seven runs added for the loss of two wickets means it’s another good session for Essex.

Kent may well have thought they were going to make deeper inroads into the Essex line-up when they removed Tom Westley with just a further 16 runs added overnight.

But the two debutants, Matt Critchley and Adam Rossington, found scoring easier with some crisp shots before the latter was removed by Darren Stevens.

Further issues for Kent is the loss of Joe Denly, who pulled-up with what looks like a hamstring injury as he chased the ball to the boundary.

Kent are already missing Jack Leaning, Zak Crawley and Sam Billings for this match so will hope the damage to Denly isn’t as serious as it looks.

Division One:

Chelmsford: Essex 359-6 v Kent

Ageas Bowl: Hampshire 209-1 v Somerset 180

Northampton: Gloucestershire 223 v Northamptonshire 56-4

Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Surrey 240-5

Division Two:

Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 234 v Durham 5-0

Leicester: Leicestershire v Worcestershire 205-6

Lord's: Middlesex 401 v Derbyshire

Hove: Sussex 375 v Nottinghamshire

And to see those scores in more detail - head to our scorecards page right here.

Northants lose their fourth wicket in the last over before lunch.

In the over after they brought the 50 up, the hosts then lose opener Emilio Gay for 18, caught behind off Nassem Shah.

Very much Gloucestershire's day so far in this battle of two promoted clubs.

Slow morning's progress for Surrey.

From 168-3 overnight, they have managed just 71 in 32 overs this morning, in stark contrast to the free-scoring 117 piled up by Ryan Patel, largely, and Rory Burns yesterday morning.

The loss of Ollie Pope for 58 hasn't helped

Ben Foakes is on 44 and Will Jacks on 9.

The new ball has now been taken too

Still play continuing for a few more minutes in matches that were affected by the weather yesterday.

We'll wait to bring you all the lunch time scores for a bit longer...

Also the interval at Chelmsford.

Essex move on from an overnight 272-4 to 359-6.

Matt Critchley (39 not out) and Adam Wheater (1 not out) will resume for them when the afternoon session gets under way.

Lunch break called at the Ageas Bowl where Hampshire have added exactly 100 runs for the loss of just Ian Holland in that first session.

Joe Weatherley heads off unbeaten on 116 after completing just his second first-class century.

They lead by 29 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Almost time for the lunch interval on this second day.

What's on your menu today if you're listening and following the action from home or while working?

Fish finger sandwich on offer for myself here at the Ageas Bowl. Very nice indeed.

Share yours via #bbccricket

A 50 partnership between Matt Critchley (32 not out) and Adam Rossington (38 not out) pushes Essex towards 350 as they continue to make Kent work hard in the field.

Sun also seems to be coming out as well at Chelmsford.