Shot of the morning played by Vasconcelos, who plays a textbook straight drive off Roland-Jones for four runs.

Steady start at quite a blustery Merchant Taylors'.

Just three overs for Jake Ball in his opening spell. Dane Paterson is now into the attack for Notts at The Oval, where they are looking to add to the early dismissal of Surrey skipper Rory Burns.

A good start by the South African paceman, with just a single - for Tom Latham - from it.

A couple of outgrounds in use today at Blackpool and Merchant Taylors' School. But how does the cricket experience away from the county HQs measure up?

Are they an essential part of the first-class game or something of an anachronism in the harsh world of professional sport? If you are at either of those games, get in touch and let us know your thoughts.

Rain stops play at Blackpoolpublished at 11:27 British Summer Time 10 July 2023

11:27 BST 10 July 2023

Lancs v Essex 12-1

That's a shame.

Tom Westley flicks a first ball of a new Tom Bailey over down to fine leg for four, but there is moisture in the air and umpires Peter Hartley and Steve O'Shaugnessy decide play cannot continue for the time being.

Westley is eight not out and Sir Alastair Cook has four.

Emilio Gay nudges a short ball off Roland-Jones down to fine leg for a very welcome four runs.

The fourth ball is just outside off, moving away as Gay gets a thick edge short and wide of fourth slip.

Good spell from the Middlesex captain, who has bowled four overs for just seven runs to date.

If asked to think of an image to sum up English cricket, would you contemplate Ben Stokes flaying a short ball from Australia for six?

Perhaps, but those of a more gentle, reflective mind might think of something like this......

Image source, Rex Features

Dent picks up his first boundary as Raine pushes the ball out wide of off and the opener nudges the ball away through third man.

Jaffa from Potts at the other end as Charlesworth plays and misses outside off stump.

The Gloucester opener pushes the fifth ball through cover for two.

Image source, Rex Features

Still no toss yet at Sophia Gardens because of rain, with Glamorgan set to take on second-placed Leicestershire.

Yorkshire have made a decent start against Worcestershire at New Road and are 16-0 in the fifth over following Adam Lyth's second boundary of the game.

Sussex are 31-0 in the fifth against Derbyshire at Hove after being put in by Leus du Plooy, Tom Haines is 15 not out.

Sean Dickson plays inside-out against Keith Barker and squirts the ball off an edge and all the way to the deep backward point fence for the opening boundary of the day.

Tom Lammonby gets a stroke of luck with an edge off Mohammad Abbas which flies past the glove of Ben Brown and away to the rope.

The hosts have opted to bat first at Taunton which is hosting a lot of schoolchildren today. Lovely hum of enthusiasm to start the opening session of this Championship game. We'll check back in with them after lunch, shall we?

Close one for Emilio Gay, who edges Helm just short of keeper John Simpson.

Vasconcelos leaves a ball from Roland-Jones at the other end which can't have been much more than a coat of varnish away from off stump.

Nervous start for Northants in seaming conditions.

Rojo's last ball is on leg stump and flicked away for two.

First boundary of the match at The Oval and it's a streaky one for Dom Sibley.

The England opener is squared up by a good delivery from Jake Ball, but it runs away down to third man off a thick outside edge.

Tom Bailey is right on the money for Lancashire at the moment, his second over is a maiden to Sir Alastair Cook.

There is no Daryl Mitchell in the Lancashire side for this one - he has a groin problem - as they look to extend a 15-match unbeaten run in the Championship.

Successive boundaries for Ben Charlesworth who gets a thick edge to third man off Raine and then plays a deft leg glance for more runs down to fine leg.

Maiden for Potts at the other end, where Dent tries to cut the last ball but can't get it off the square.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

It's a nice day in Chester-le-Street and leaders Durham are looking to extend their 36-point lead at the top of the table this week.

They have only lost once - in the opening game of the season against Sussex - and have already beaten Gloucestershire this year in the championship. That was their only win in Bristol.

Matthew Potts is back from England duty and Durham are giving a debut to South African seamer Migael Pretorius. The 28-year-old has 144 First Class wickets and comes into this one on the back of a T20 tournament in Houston.

He's the sixth bowler Durham have signed for the Championship this year. Matt Parkinson is another. The loanee from Lancashire plays in this one too.

Tom Helm offers a bit of width outside off stump and Vasconelos is off the mark with a careful steer past gully for four runs.

Gay is his on the knee roll by Roland-Jones at the other end but survives half an LBW shout.

Certainly some movement here for the Middlesex attack, who are bowling to four slips this morning.

Does Gay play and miss or leave the last ball, fizzing away just past his outside edge?

Not out, anyway.

Chris Rushworth, the leading wicket-taker in the top-flight and a historically troublesome bowler on the opening morning, asking questions of Kent openers Tawanda Muyeye and Ben Compton in his opening couple of overs at sun-drenched Canterbury.

The recalled Oliver Hannon-Dalby opens from the other end and offers Muyeye the chance to pick up a couple of twos.

A bit of a shock to the system for leaders Surrey, losing their captain in the opening over.

Jake Ball - playing only his third Championship game of the season - bowls the second to Dim Sibley and apart from a wide, there is no addition.

Two runs for Charlesworth off the first over.

Near miss for Chris Dent - who plays a loose shot outside off stump to Matt Potts and chops the ball just over the top of his stumps.

And breathe.

Potts bowls round the wicket and Dent is beaten again. Good start for Potts, who is getting some early movement.