Ben Duckett scored a brilliant 197 not out to hold Nottinghamshire’s batting together on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
England batter Duckett struck 24 fours in his 230-ball innings as his side made erratic but highly entertaining progress to 367-8.
It was a patchy display from Nottinghamshire as three batters – Duckett, Ben Slater (65) and Jack Haynes (74) – passed 60 but nobody else reached double figures against an attack led by Olly Hannon-Dalby, who took 4-58 on his 200th appearance for Warwickshire.
Colin Ackermann made his first Durham century as the hosts shared the spoils with Essex, with the former Leicestershire captain making 112 in a 294-minute innings that formed the bedrock of his side’s 358 all out at the Seat Unique Riverside.
The Essex openers safely negotiated the last two overs of the day to finish on five without loss, having seen Sam Cook (3-60) and Jamie Porter (3-57) impress with the ball.
A dramatic opening day at the Kia Oval saw 15 wickets fall, as Surrey closed on 123-5 after dismissing Hampshire for 151. Gus Atkinson (3-40), Jordan Clark (3-29) and Dan Worrall (3-44) took three wickets each for the hosts, before Ryan Patel (41) and Rory Burns (39no) helped the hosts recover from 44-4.
Division One scorecards
Tom Banton continued his upturn in form to hold the Somerset innings together after Jason Holder had threatened to put Worcestershire in a position of strength at Kidderminster. Holder took three wickets in 12 deliveries to reduce Somerset to 181-6, only for Banton to make 92 from 140 balls before being run out.
Banton’s knock, plus some late order big hitting by Migael Pretorius (49), enabled Somerset to recover and claim two batting points before declaring on 309-9. Jake Libby and Adam Finch safely negotiated five overs as Worcestershire closed on 14 without loss.
In Division Two, England duo Joe Root and Harry Brook shared an entertaining and unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 71 as Yorkshire dominated Derbyshire at Headingley.
Division Two scorecards
Root (65no) and Brook (44no) came together at 205-3 after Yorkshire had lost the toss, building on the early good work of in-form opener Adam Lyth (97), to help the hosts reach 276-3 before play was stopped due to bad light and then rain.
Gloucestershire seamer Marchant de Lange claimed his 350th first-class wicket as he took 6-49 to help bowl out Middlesex for 203 on the opening day in Bristol. The home side had reached 82-3 in reply before bad light stopped play.
Half-centuries from Emilio Gay, George Bartlett and captain Luke Procter enabled Northamptonshire to shade the opening day of their match against Leicestershire, as they finished on 337-6.
Live County Championship Cricket
Friday 3rd May 10:50am
Watch the County Championship this season live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the Division One clash between Lancashire and Kent begins on Friday May 3 from 10.50am on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Mix.
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