Big shout from Kent seamer Matt Quinn who jags the opening delivery of the match into the pads of Rob Yates.

Nothing doing this time but that will give Yates a little shot of adrenaline on this chilly Thursday morning.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London

As expected Middlesex leave out last year's club captain Tim Murtagh, who played the first round, with Ethan Bamber given his chance at Wantage Road.

It denies us all the battle of Murtagh versus Gareth Berg- two old team mates at Lord's who are now well into their forties.

It will be all eyes on Berg after the hosts won the toss and elected to bowl with a little bit of a grass covering on top but dry and hard underneath is the report from the middle.

The visitors inserted Essex at Lord's last week and paid the price, while in return their top three registered a total of seven runs in the first round.

They'll certainly have an early opportunity to put that right but all eyes will be on another top order collapse after Middlesex saw their top four fall for ducks last week in their first innings.

Play is getting under way in all five Division One matches.

They've just had the toss at Durham where Worcestershire have chosen to bowl first in Division Two.

Day one has already been abandoned between Gloucestershire and Yorkshire and there will be a delay at Leicestershire.

You're just about up to speed, so let's get on with the cricket...

Image source, Rex Features

As ever there will be live ball-by-ball BBC local radio commentary from all of today's matches.

To select your desired game click on the audio links at the top of this page.

Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton

Bright and breezy conditions for the first day of Championship cricket at Wantage Road this season - but no surprise that Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter opts to bowl first after winning the toss.

Gareth Berg - who was playing for the opposition the last time Northamptonshire beat Middlesex in the four-day competition, back in 2010 - makes his 150th first-class appearance, and is reunited with regular new-ball partner Ben Sanderson who missed the defeat against Kent at Canterbury.

For the visitors - also beaten in their opening fixture, at home to Essex - Ethan Bamber replaces Tim Murtagh in the attack.

Image source, Rex Features

England seamer James Anderson will make his first appearance of the campaign after being named in the Lancashire XI at Essex.

There are plenty of other England stars on show today.

Stuart Broad and Ben Duckett line up for Notts, while spinner Jack Leach plays for opponents Somerset at Trent Bridge.

Batter Ollie Pope features for Surrey, but wicketkeeper Ben Foakes misses out with a minor back complaint.

Opener Zak Crawley plays for Kent after making 91 and 3 for his county last week, while Chris Woakes is in for Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Div One

• Essex v Lancashire - Lancs elected to bat
• Northants v Middlesex - Northants chose to bowl
• Notts v Somerset - Somerset chose to bowl
• Surrey v Hampshire - Hants elected to bat
• Warwickshire v Kent - Kent chose to bowl

Div Two

• Durham v Worcestershire - start delayed, rain
• Gloucestershire v Yorkshire - no play Thursday, wet outfield
• Leicestershire v Derbyshire - start delayed, wet outfield

Some early news to tell you and it's not good I'm afraid.

They've already called things off for the day in the Division Two game between Gloucestershire and Yorkshire.

Gloucestershire say "the exceedingly wet weather and strong winds over the past 48 hours have made the outfield unplayable".

Play will also be delayed in the other two Division Two fixtures - the East Midlands derby between Leicestershire and Derbyshire and Durham's game with Worcestershire.

Image source, Rex Features

Morning!

It's cold, it's showery, it's blustery, it's sunny. It's the second week of April and the second round of this season's County Championship.

We wouldn't want it any other way...