Ged Scott
BBC Sport at New Road

Image source, Ged Scott - BBC Sport

We are off and running on time at New Road, despite all the worst weather warnings.

But it is cloudy and grey. Should swing a bit. And Joe Leach does not take long to make his mark...

The ground staff are mopping up at a soggy Headingley, where the BIG covers are still on.

Might be a while before we get some play there and we get the chance to see England's Jonny Bairstow continue his innings with the bat on his return from injury.

Ok, who had Derby as a ground where they'd be starting on time today?

Well they are... shame on you and your lack of faith!

The hosts have a lead of 22 with seven wickets in hand, Wayne Madsen and Leus du Plooy are heading to the middle with three balls to come from Mike Finan's incomplete over from last night.

We have a prompt start at Chelmsford.

Sam Cook has the ball in hand and he will bowl to Dom Sibley.

The sun is out at Trent Bridge, where Haseeb Hameed and Steven Mullaney are striding out to resume the Notts innings.

The hosts start 95 runs behind Lancashire's total of 214 with five first-innings wickets remaining.

Whenever and wherever there is play today, our BBC local radio and Radio 5 Sports Extra commentators will be providing their usual exemplary ball by ball coverage.

Pick a game from the audio links at the top of the page and we'll keep you up to date with events at the other grounds with regular text updates.

Hearing it will be an 11:30 BST start at Taunton. Sort of good news.

Image source, Rex Features

Tough, uncompromising cricket was on offer on the opening day at Chelmsford as Essex became the first team this season to pass 300 in an innings against defending champions Surrey.

Paceman Gus Atkinson took a career-best 6-68 and said: "I had a good winter. I was in Dubai and Pakistan just doing a bit of franchise cricket. Obviously a different format but it was good experience and I feel like a better player for doing that.

"I just feel I’m in the best place I’ve been for a while with my run-up, my action, my fitness and strength, so all those components have helped me do well today."

It is now up to the Surrey batters to meet the challenge on a pitch which has provided some uneven bounce at times - and mindful of the fact that Simon Harmer found some spin in his one over last evening.

The covers have been off this morning but a sharp shower looks to be making its way over the Solent and so there's no prospect of starting on time at the Ageas, I'm afraid.

Hopefully it won't be too lengthy a delay. There are plenty of clear skies on the radar once this blows over.

Day one of this clash of Division One contenders on the south coast very much belonged to the visitors.

James Vince won the toss and elected to bat first, the pitch appeared to have few demons but the conditions seemed to help the Bears attack, particularly in the first 40 overs.

Despite a swashbuckling unbeaten 75 from the skipper and 49 from Fletcha Middleton, the last four Hants wickets to fall seemed eminently avoidable.

As a result, openers Alex Davies (46) and Rob Yates (26) were able to haul their side within 147 runs of Hampshire's below-par total of 229 at the close.

If they can dodge the showers the visitors will fancy their chances of picking up some batting bonus points as a bare minimum this weekend.

Image source, Rex Features

The covers are coming off in Somerset but the umpires want a look. Will let you know when we hear more, unofficial as yet but I think the chances of an 11:00 BST start look slim...

Image source, Rex Features

Much of the attention at Headingley yesterday was on the returning Jonny Bairstow, back in action in a first class match for the first time since breaking his leg in the closing weeks of last summer.

Bairstow had a tidy day behind the stumps, taking three catches as Yorkshire bowled out Glamorgan for 245.

He might have expected to put his feet up for the rest of the day, but Glamorgan's bowlers ensured he was needed to stem the flow of wickets.

Bairstow came out to bat for the final two overs and will resume this morning on two not out alongside fellow England batter Dawid Malan, with Yorkshire trailing by 183 runs.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne, who top-scored for Glamorgan with 65, said: "Jonny was in great form last time he was playing Test cricket, so it’s good to have him back.

"It was a pretty serious injury, and you never like to see anyone go down or be out for a long space of time. I’m glad to see him back on the park playing, but hopefully he doesn’t get too many runs and we can get him out early."

Image source, Rex Features

England pace bowler Ollie Robinson is ready to put in the 'hard yards' before the start of the summer's international cricket after taking 7-59 for Sussex on the opening day at New Road.

"It's just getting that momentum of playing again. For myself, knowing my body now, I've just got to keep bowling. We've got two more Sussex games after this and then the Ireland Test, before the Ashes," he said.

"I'll try and play all of those, get in as many overs as possible and peak for the Ashes hopefully. It will be biggest series of my career."

Weather permitting, day two may see the first innings for Sussex of Australia's Steve Smith and you can bet that Worcestershire's bowlers will be straining every sinew to send him packing early.

Image source, Rex Features

Less than 38 overs were possible due to bad light and then heavy rain in the west on Thursday.

The hosts spurned the chance of a wicket in the first over with a drop in the slips off Craig Overton, a moment which allowed the visitors to seize the initiative, Hassan Azad (20) and Sam Whiteman (15) supported Ricardo Vasconcelos whose 70 helped his side to 116-1.

Somerset did rally with Lewis Gregory collecting a couple of wickets to halt the visitors' momentum before the rain closed in after lunch.

Time will tell how many overs we get through today, but both sides will be be keen to at least win the battle for bonus points.

With these two sides tipped by many to remain in the lower reaches of the table all season, who knows how crucial every point might be come September.

Bowlers were definitely on top on day one at Trent Bridge, with 15 wickets falling and Notts trailing by 95 runs when bad light brought an early end to proceedings.

Brett Hutton took 5-66 as Lancashire were dismissed for 214, but the visitors fought back with an excellent bowling display.

Opener Haseeb Hameed was the only Notts batter to show prolonged solidity against a probing Lancashire attack, and the hosts' chances of a first-innings lead may hinge on how long the England Test player can stay at the crease.

"That innings by Hass at the end was massive for us," said Hutton. "He showed everyone how to bat, he didn’t play many bad shots if any. He was so patient, waiting for the ball to be in his area and absorbed the pressure when they were on top."

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Henry Brookes is only supposed to spend two games as a Derbyshire player before returning to Warwickshire.

The young paceman only needed one day, though, to produce the second-best debut figures in the club's history, taking 6-20 against Leicestershire.

"It's a nice little stat. Good to have an opportunity with Mickey Arthur and the lads here. I was really looking forward to it and managed to put a nice performance in to top it off," he told BBC Radio Derby.

"I've been looking for a loan deal for a couple of weeks and thankfully Derby came knocking. I was raring to go. It's great to be here."

"A fairly unsettled picture weather-wise today. Cloud and early rain in the north will ease, but as the sunshine develops, heavy showers will bubble up, with a chance of thunderstorms. Temperatures for most in the mid to high teens" - BBC Weather Twitter feed., external

For more information, click here for Sarah Keith-Lucas' latest video forecast.

Division One

Essex 314 v Surrey 1-0

Hampshire 229 v Warwickshire 81-0

Nottinghamshire 119-5 v Lancashire 214

Somerset v Northamptonshire 137-4

Division Two

Derbyshire 144-3 v Leicestershire 122

Worcestershire 264 v Sussex 63-1

Yorkshire 62-5 v Glamorgan 245

Cricketers need a wide range of skills to succeed at first-class level.

Dancing is not normally one of them, but some may need to shake a leg today as the forecast suggests a Hokey Cokey day may be in store at a few of our seven grounds - 'in out, in out' etc.

The Coronation weekend County Championship games have reached day two. Welcome to our coverage.

Image source, Rex Features