Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Headingley

It's a busier press box than your normal Championship day at Headingley with Jonny Bairstow back in the Yorkshire XI.

We're going to have to wait to see him with the bat but there'll be plenty of interest in him behind the stumps before then.

It's a grey morning in Leeds. It's little surprise Adam Lyth opted to bowl.

As usual, we have ball by ball coverage of all seven games today, courtesy of our BBC local radio and Radio 5 Sports Extra teams.

Choose a commentary from the audio links at the top of the page and we'll keep you apprised of events elsewhere with regular text updates.

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So often seen working in tandem as the tormentors of Test batting line-ups around the world, this week will see James Anderson and Stuart Broad on opposing sides at Trent Bridge.

Just the 1,261 wickets between England's two leading wicket-takers in Test cricket.

It's Broad who will get the chance to stretch his legs first up - Notts captain Steven Mullaney has won the toss and chosen to field first.

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The towns of Buckingham and Northampton are just 21 miles apart.

But Jordan Buckingham had to travel a lot further than that, from Adelaide, in fact, to fill Northamptonshire's fast bowling vacancy for the next three Championship games.

He takes over from fellow Aussie Chris Tremain following the completion of his three-match deal after Lance Morris was unable to travel to the UK because of a back injury.

Given events at Buckingham Palace this weekend, it's an appropriate time for him to make his debut, while Somerset will be bolstered by the return of England seamer Craig Overton.

Warwickshire were crowned champions in 2021 but incredibly, given the talent they have possessed down the years, you have to go all the way back to 1973 for the last time Hampshire won the title.

No team recorded as many as Hampshire’s nine wins from 14 games last season, but a couple of costly defeats in the run-in saw them finish in third, 26 points adrift of champions Surrey.

One of those defeats came in their final game against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, where Liam Norwell ran riot to claim 9-62 in the second innings to defend 139 and claim a five-run win which ensure the Bears safety.

These two sides have already established themselves in the upper echelons of Division One, both suffering just one defeat apiece, both at the hands of the reigning champions.

Hampshire will be eager to repeat their thumping eight-wicket win in Southampton last July, when six players posted half-centuries, though none reached three figures.

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There is no Norwell for the visitors due to a back injury while Hasan Ali is rested ahead of a packed summer schedule. Danny Briggs is in the side, however, back on his old stomping ground.

Former Bear Keith Barker misses out for Hampshire with a hand-injury sustained batting against Surrey at the Oval.

Here's how the top of Division One and Two look following four rounds of matches.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

*Gloucestershire also had a no-result.

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It was a great relief for England supporters to hear news of Jonny Bairstow scoring 97 for Yorkshire's seconds last week in his first game since breaking his leg while playing golf last September.

And with just a few weeks to go before a Lord's Test against Ireland, to be followed by a full series against Australia, he is ready for his first Championship appearance for the White Rose since they beat Lancashire at Old Trafford in July 2018.

His most recent red-ball game for the county was three years ago in the Bob Willis Trophy and Yorkshire are hoping he can help them register their first Division Two win of this season.

Bairstow is set to bat at five against a Glamorgan side containing Australia's Marnus Labuschagne, but will have to wait as the Tykes will be bowling first.

Division One

Chelmsford: Essex v Surrey

Essex won the toss and will bat

Ageas Bowl: Hampshire v Warwickshire

Hampshire won the toss and will bat

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Lancashire

Nottinghamshire won the toss and will bowl

Taunton: Somerset v Northamptonshire

Somerset won the toss and will bowl

Division Two

Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire

Derbyshire won the toss and will bowl

Worcester: Worcestershire v Sussex

Sussex won the toss and will bowl

Headingley: Yorkshire v Glamorgan

Yorkshire won the toss and will bowl

Image source, Rex Features

When the late Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, Surrey became county champions later that summer.

Will history repeat itself in another Coronation season 70 years later after Surrey's ominous start to this summer which saw them crush 2021 champions Warwickshire by nine wickets at Edgbaston last week?

Maybe Essex can halt their progress in the first red-ball meeting of the two teams at Chelmsford since 2020 when Essex won by 169 runs in the Bob Willis Trophy, with Simon Harmer taking 6-67 and 8-64.

They also won their home Championship game against Surrey in September 2019 by an innings and 40 runs - with Harmer again among the wickets, claiming 7-58 to help wrap up the win.

Should counties sign Australian players on short-term contracts before an Ashes series, thereby giving them match practice in English conditions? Discuss.

Whatever your view, there is no question that the Sussex debut of Steve Smith adds an extra frisson to the game at New Road.

His last appearance in county cricket was for Worcestershire against Notts in a T20 game on 13 June 2010 and he is relishing the prospect of another crack at it, this time in the red-ball game.

"Hopefully I can score some runs along the way and help the [Sussex] boys get some success," he said.

"Dry and breezy for most, showers/thunderstorms developing from the south west later."

That is the BBC Weather social media summary for today but it looks like that rain shouldn't have a big impact on the seven matches - wish we could say the same for day two onwards!

You can watch the latest video forecast from Matt Taylor here.

The last royal Coronation took place 70 years ago and coincided with a round of County Championship games at places including Ilford, Burton-on-Trent, Coventry and Sheffield.

No out-grounds involved today as the 2023 Championship resumes while preparations continue for HRH King Charles III's date with destiny at Westminster Abbey.

We can't provide orbs and sceptres but we can promise four days of great cricket action, weather permitting.

Welcome to our coverage of day one. Play is due to start at 11:00.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Rex Features