Wow, what an end to the first round of games!

An incredible performance from Leicestershire to win that one as the clock ticked down - all credit to them. In contrast, that's an early confidence blow for beaten Yorkshire.

We had all the usual twists and turns and thrills and spills that we've come to expect from four-day cricket - great to have it back eh?!

Plenty more to come over the next few months and I hope you'll join us again when the second round rolls along on Thursday.

Not long to wait - see you then!

Image source, Rex Features

We now have another eight-game programme of Championship fixtures to look forward to, starting on Thursday.

Division One:

Essex v Lancashire (Chelmsford)

Northamptonshire v Middlesex (Wantage Road)

Nottinghamshire v Somerset (Trent Bridge)

Surrey v Hampshire (The Oval)

Warwickshire v Kent (Edgbaston)

Division Two:

Durham v Worcestershire (Chester-le-Street)

Gloucestershire v Yorkshire (Bristol)

Leicestershire v Derbyshire (Leicester)

Division One:

Manchester: Surrey 442 & 292-6 dec drew with Lancashire 291 & 247-3

Lord's: Essex (266 & 211) beat Middlesex (170 & 210) by 97 runs

Canterbury: Kent (222 & 227-3) beat Northamptonshire (117 & 331) by seven wickets.

Taunton: Somerset 284 & 180-6 drew with Warwickshire 392

Division Two:

Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 & 569-7 dec drew with Glamorgan 404 & 110-3

Leeds: Leicestershire (415 & 392-7) beat Yorkshire (517 & 286-8 dec) by three wickets.

Derby: Worcestershire (473 & 193-2) beat Derbyshire (321 & 343) by eight wickets.

Hove: Sussex (335 & 232-8) beat Durham (376 & 189) by two wickets.

LEICESTERSHIRE WIN BY THREE WICKETSpublished at 18:28 British Summer Time 9 April 2023

18:28 BST 9 April 2023

Yorkshire 517 & 286-8/d v Leicestershire 415 & 392-7

WOW!

Chris Wright goes bang down the ground and then uppercuts over Shai Hope for four more to take Leicestershire to a scarcely believable win.

They didn't win a single Championship game last season, but they have chased down 389 to beat the Division Two favourites at Headingley.

Rishi Patel scored a wonderful 125, before Pete Handscomb (68*) and Wright (40*) guided them home.

Chris Wright uppercuts Jordan Thompson for four!

Five to win - incredible stuff from Leicestershire's number nine.

Chris Wright now plays a lovely short-arm jab through midwicket for four more, and now goes over Ben Coad's head for another boundary.

Just 10 to win...

Postpublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 9 April 2023

18:21 BST 9 April 2023

Yorkshire 517 & 286-8/d v Leicestershire 415 & 370-7

Pete Handscomb steps to the offside and belts Ben Coad's first delivery of the over into the western terrace.

What a knock this is from the Australian - he moves to 67 following his first innings hundred.

Chris Wright clubs Matt Milnes down the ground for four, before a series of singles finishes the over.

25 to win from 3 overs.

It's very gloomy now.

And now a horror delivery from Matt Milnes flies past Shai Hope for five wides.

An excellent stop from Finlay Bean on the third man boundary keeps Leicestershire to two.

37 to win for Leicestershire in five overs.

Leicestershire now need fewer than 50 runs to win, but time is quickly running out at Headingley.

Pete Hamdscomb finishes Dom Bess' over by sweeping for four.

44 needed from the last six overs of the game.

How are the nerves?

Rehan Ahmed charges Dom Bess, but misses the ball entirely and Shai Hope wastes no time in taking the bails off.

Five for Dom Bess, and Yorkshire will fancy their chances of victory now against a lengthy Leicestershire tail.

Michael Finan joins Pete Handscomb in the middle.

The visitors need 71 more.

Image source, Rex Features

Leicestershire haven't won a first-class game at Headingley since 1910.

They need 75 from 12 overs here to change that statistic.

Pete Handscomb has stepped on the accelerator slightly, and Rehan Ahmed has nine from his six deliveries.

Well we didn't get the grandstand finale that we might have at Sophia Gardens and with the game rather meandering along the sides agree to shake hands.

Billy Root finished on 39 and Eddie Byrom 36 and Glos' failure to remove them meant the game looked more and more destined for a stalemate as it went on.

Earlier, the visitors struck a massive 567 before declaring at about 15:00 BST setting Glamorgan 331 to win.

It felt slightly late and so it proved as they ran out of time and overs to force a positive result.

Billy Root (37*) and Edward Byrom (32*) have done a good job of steadying the ship after tea.

Gloucestershire took three early wickets but they will feel like a long time ago now as the home duo look well-set.

There are only 11 scheduled overs remaining.

Handshakes.

Josh Bohannon's second innings century frustrated Surrey all afternoon, and although Daniel Worrall eventually removed him 20 minutes ago, this was always destined to be a draw.

A single from Jack Leaning brings up the victory for Kent - their first opening weekend victory for six years.

Leaning finished on 67 unbeaten and Ben Compton starred with 114 not out as their partnership completely took the game away from Northants.

Kent were 3-1 when Zak Crawley fell cheaply early on and were 60-3 at one point as Joe Denly failed to fire, but from then on it was the Compton and Leaning show and Northants failed to come up with any answers to stop them.

for Ben Comptonpublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 9 April 2023

16:53 BST 9 April 2023

Kent 222 & 214-3 v Northamptonshire 117 & 331 (Kent require 13 to win)

Ben Compton's classy innings goes past the 100 mark with a boundary off Rob Keogh.

He has been unhurried throughout and showed no sign of rushing to reach his century having been on 99 for some time.

Just waited for the right ball to put away.

Only 13 needed for Kent now.