Pakistan international Mir Hamza is making his Warwickshire debut today, but he twice offers Josh Bohannon width, and twice disappears to the cover fence.

Don't bowl there...

Ben Raine has picked up Durham's first wicket of the morning at Derbyshire, bowling Luis Reece. Derbyshire are 30-1 against the runaway leaders.

They've just gone off for rain at Headingley. Yorkshire have reduced Sussex to 24-3.

Worcestershire are off to a good start against Leicestershire at Oakham School. They're 36-0.

Lovely from Tom Abell - the Somerset skipper gets on the front foot and caresses Tom Taylor through the covers for four.

He moves to 10, while Sean Dickson at the other end has 17.

Jack White has gone past Dickson's outside edge several times, but hasn't been able to prize out the Somerset opener as of yet.

Not a comfortable morning for Division One leaders Surrey at Lord's so far either.

Middlesex have been getting it to hoop around in helpful conditions on a testing track with Ethan Bamber coming on as first change and keeping the pressure on.

Couple of sharp chance put down already, Sam Robson with the latest, otherwise the hosts could be completely on top in the early stages.

Smothering stuff from Essex. Sam Cook is simply unplayable at the moment.

Poor old Harry Finch has played and missed at a couple and his outside edge is leading a charmed life at present.

Final ball of the over is straight-batted back towards the bowler who can't take what would have been a miraculous low catch down by his ankle.

2-7 from five overs. They'll surely keep Cook on a while longer if he's bowling like this.

Josh Bohannon has started nicely here.

Chris Rushworth gets a little bit full and straight, and Bohannon helps himself to four with a gorgeous flick through the leg-side.

He has eight from eight balls.

Sam Cook got a hat-trick against Kent in the Blast at Canterbury, but there is no red-ball treble this time... Harry Finch cracks straight down the track and into the stumps at the non-striker's end. No run-out either, Ben Compton didn't leave his ground.

Runaway leaders Durham are bowling first at winless bottom side Derbyshire and the hosts are going along okay. Harry Came and Luis Reece have taken them to 20-0.

Yorkshire have taken a couple of early wickets against Sussex at Headingley. Openers Tom Clark and Tom Haines are both gone to leave the visitors 18-2.

At Oakham School, hosts Leicestershire are playing Worcestershire. The Pears are 17-0.

Tawanda Muyeye dropped on 15published at 11:30 British Summer Time 19 July 2023

11:30 BST 19 July 2023

Essex v Kent 28-0

Tawanda Muyeye has played a couple of typically pleasing shots already this morning, but he's needed another life too... edging Sam Cook to Matt Critchley at third slip who cannot hold on.

The Kent opener leans on his bat and takes a long hard look at the floor. He's re-setting. And it's worked, he flashes a cut past point to the ropes for his third four to complete the over.

Ben Compton looks like he's got another life. He's edged Sam Cook sharply towards Simon Harmer at second slip. It's not easy by any stretch but that's an inch or two off the turf when it gets to the diving Essex skipper but he can't hold on. He lies face down on the grass for a moment to quieten his mind.

Compton goes for a stroll to quieten his.

Cook's first two overs have caused problems. Kent's runs have come almost entirely off Jamie Porter thus far.

Image source, Rex Features

Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings are hardly inspiring confidence early on at Edgbaston.

Jennings walks at Chris Rushworth in an attempt to disrupt his length, but can only skew an edge towards point, before Wells flashes at one outside off and is fortunate not to nick off.

Still, they are both still there, and that's the main thing as far as they are concerned.

Ben Sanderson has started well with the new ball for hosts Northants, beating the outside edge on a couple of occasions and extracting healthy movement.

Sean Dickson gets off the mark with a thick outside edge down to third man to settle a few Somerset nerves, while Tom Lammonby is yet to score at the other end.

Rory Burns got off the mark with a beautifully-timed drive through square leg to the fence on the short boundary side for four off Tim Murtagh.

The Surrey skipper has also ticked the final ball of Ryan Higgins' opening over down to the rope at fine leg to move to eight.

Ground staff are poised by the covers, not exactly what you want at 11.09 on the opening day of the game.

Jamie Porter takes the opening over for Essex, with Tawanda Muyeye and Ben Compton seeking to give Kent a better start than they had in their innings and 46-run defeat at home to Warwickshire last week.

A single for Compton, the only Kent batter to reach 500 runs thus far in four-day cricket this summer, and a couple for Muyeye from a leg-side clip, off the over.

Image source, Rex Features