Summary

  • Final day in seven opening round fixtures

  • Two division structure back for 2022 season: 10 teams in Division One, eight in Division Two

  • Northants and Gloucestershire draw in nail-biting contest

  • Essex and Kent play out inevitable draw at Chelmsford

  • Warwickshire draw with Surrey

  • Nottinghamshire beat Sussex by 10 wickets

  • Draws between Glamorgan and Durham, Middlesex and Derbyshire and Leicestershire and Worcestershire

  1. Thanks for joining uspublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    #bbccricket

    Lawrence and WestleyImage source, Rex Features

    And that just about wraps things up for our live text coverage of this opening round of the County Championship season.

    Thank you so much for your company over the past four days and as already mentioned, the action returns on Thursday.

    For now, head to the counties page of the BBC Sport website and app to read all the reports from today.

    Until next time - thanks for being with us!

  2. Next week's fixturespublished at 18:29 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Action resumes on Thursday

    Seven fixtures coming up in the second round that you can follow across the BBC Sport website and app from Thursday morning:

    Division One:

    Bristol: Gloucestershire v Yorkshire

    Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire

    Taunton: Somerset v Essex

    The Oval: Surrey v Hampshire

    Division Two:

    Derby: Derbyshire v Sussex

    Chester-le-Street: Durham v Leicestershire

    Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Glamorgan

  3. Close of play scorespublished at 18:28 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Division One:

    Chelmsford: Essex (514 & 68-1) drew with Kent (581-9)

    Northampton: Northamptonshire (288 & 272-8) drew with Gloucestershire (223 & 363)

    Edgbaston: Warwickshire (531) drew with Surrey (428-8 dec & 43-0)

    Division Two:

    Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan (234 & 220-5) drew with Durham (383)

    Leicester: Leicestershire (213 & 218-9) drew with Worcestershire (348 & 234-5 dec)

    Lord's: Middlesex (401 & 258-5 dec) drew with Derbyshire (304 & 255-5)

    Hove: Nottinghamshire (534-9 dec & 14-0) beat Sussex (375 & 172-9) by 10 wickets

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

  4. Postpublished at 18:27 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    And that completes the set for all the opening round matches.

    Let's sum up what we've seen before we call stumps ourselves...

  5. NORTHANTS DRAW WITH GLOUCESTERSHIREpublished at 18:22 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 288 & 272-8 drew with Gloucestershire 223 & 363

    One more block from Tom Taylor and Northants survive.

    What a final day that turned into.

    Northants took 4-22 this morning to leave themselves 299 to win in 82 overs.

    Rob Keogh led the chase with 74 and Northants were on course with Josh Cobb at the crease.

    But he chanced his arm unnecessarily and fell for 36.

    Then when Lewis McManus and Gareth Berg fell in consecutive balls, Gloucestershire were suddenly pressing for victory.

    But it's a draw to open the season for both sides.

  6. Postpublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 272-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Tom Taylor plays right across the line first ball and takes two through midwicket.

    Then edges two more to third man.

    Then drives back to the bowler and it's dropped by Higgins!

    Pretty straightforward chance but it bounced straight out of his hands.

    Good job that wasn't to win...

  7. Final over at Wantage Roadpublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 268-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Ryan Higgins with the final set at Wantage Road.

    Five slips and two catching on the leg side.

  8. Postpublished at 18:18 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 268-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Ajeet Dale's final over of the match, two slips in place, short leg, leg slip.

    But it's a poor first ball down leg and they can take a bye as James Bracey parries.

    So Tom Taylor back on strike.

    He almost whips one into the hands of leg slip but sees out the over and pinches a single from the final ball.

    Northants have six deliveries to survive.

  9. LEICESTERSHIRE DRAW WITH WORCESTERSHIREpublished at 18:15 British Summer Time 10 April 2022
    Breaking

    Terrific last-wicket rearguard from Hassan Azad (104 not out) and Beuran Hendricks (16 not out) get Leicestershire to the draw against Worcestershire.

    A 47-run parternship off 155 balls sees the Foxes survive the 96 overs in the day.

    Worcestershire will wonder how they couldn't claim the last one.

  10. MIDDLESEX DRAW WITH DERBYSHIREpublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 10 April 2022
    Breaking

    Handshakes at Lord's with five overs left available.

    Leus du Plooy (23 not out) and Anuj Dal (24 not out) have ground it out for Derbyshire and kept Middlesex at bay in the last 90 minutes or so.

    Middlesex take 14 points and Derbyshire 12 from that opening contest.

  11. Postpublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 266-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Tom Taylor refusing singles now and the field comes up slightly to try and force another wicket.

    Slip comes in as well.

    Another accurate over from Ryan Higgins but Taylor equal to it.

    12 deliveries for Northants to see out.

  12. Postpublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Leicestershire (213 & 218-9) need 152 more runs to beat Worcestershire (348 & 234-5 dec)

    Last over at Grace Road.

    Leicestershire number 11 Beuran Hendricks will be on strike.

    Josh Baker to bowl it for the Pears.

  13. Tune in for the exciting conclusion at Wantage Roadpublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

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  14. Postpublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 266-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Looks like the chase is up for Northants.

    Nathan Buck blocks then leaves then blocks.

    Ajeet Dale goes short and Buck dabs in down on the on side.

    Buck sees out a maiden.

    33 needed and just 18 balls remain.

  15. Postpublished at 18:04 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Derbyshire (304 & 243-5) need 113 more runs to beat Middlesex (401 & 258-5 dec)

    Tom Helm returns for Middlesex at the Nursery End with a new ball in his hand.

    Middlesex giving it one last crack with eight overs left.

  16. Postpublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 266-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Single to Buck backward of point and Taylor blocks the last of the over.

    Four to go, Northants need 33, Glosters need two.

  17. Postpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 265-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    Decent hat-trick ball, full and straight, but out comes Nathan Buck to keep it out.

  18. Postpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Leicestershire (213 & 212-9) need 158 more runs to beat Worcestershire (348 & 234-5 dec)

    Three to go at Grace Road.

    Joe Leach comes on to have a trundle for the Pears to try and take the last wicket.

  19. wicket

    Gareth Berg c Charlesworth b Higgins 0published at 18:00 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 265-8 need 299 to beat Glos

    First ball Gareth Berg pushes firmly at Ryan Higgins and is superbly caught at backward point by Ben Charlesworth diving low to his right.

    Higgins on a hat-trick to Nathan Buck and suddenly Gloucestershire need two wickets to win.

  20. wicket

    Lewis McManus c Charlesworth b Higgins 15published at 17:59 British Summer Time 10 April 2022

    Northants 264-7 need 299 to beat Glos

    Ryan Higgins takes over at the Wantage Road End.

    Tom Taylor takes a single and then Lewis McManus has a swing and skews one towards backward point.

    Ben Charlesworth retreats, juggles and clings on with one hand!

    34 from 28 required.