Ben Duckett is at the crease earlier than he'd have fancied for Notts but he manages to pick up three and see off a fine first over from Timm van der Gugten.

What a great start for Glamorgan, on what they'd expect to be a very tough ask away at the defending champions.

Two boundaries for Dean Elgar off birthday boy Craig Overton's opening over.

With no Alfie Ogborne this match (no reason yet given, so we presume a pre-planned rest/rotation policy) after his brilliant two in one-over strike last week, Jake Ball takes the new ball to Paul Walter from t'other end.

Not a bad start for Surrey and a wayward first ball from Ian Holland as it flies down the leg side past Rory Burns and away for four byes.

Burns picks up another couple and the scoreboard is ticking at The Oval.

Championship skipper Ollie Robinson is also bowling the first ball of the match in Hove.

John Simpson, the club captain takes the first few as Rob Yates is content to leave, until he stretches at a wide one and skews four through third, past the four strong cordon.

Derbys have won the toss and elected to bat and have fired down the first over from Mo Abbas with Luke Wells steering the final ball for a four to get the hosts up and running.

No changes for Derbys from the side that drew with Worcs while the hosts bring in Marcus Harris, Mitch Stanley and Paul Coughlin for George Balderson, Ajeet Singh Dale and George Bell.

Stand-in skipper again Craig Overton will take the new ball on his birthday!

Former teammate of his, Dean Elgar, is the first man in his sight with Paul Walter, a rare man taller than Overton in a Championship match, at the non striker's end.

277-0 these two managed against Somerset here in September though, do not forget.

Time for talk is over. Except for the sledging from the slips, of course.

We're under way in our second round of County Championship fixtures.

Let the fun begin.

BBC Sounds

As usual, you can follow every ball of every County Championship match with the BBC this summer.

Along with our live text coverage our BBC Local Radio and 5 Live Sports Extra commentary teams will be out in force to ensure you do not miss a thing.

You can listen via the BBC Sport website and app but also on most smart speakers - just ask BBC Sounds to play the game you want but also state the day as well.

For example, ask BBC Sounds to play Essex against Somerset, day one.

As new starts go, Middlesex could have not wished for a better one under head coach Peter Fulton after that crushing innings victory at home to Gloucestershire led b captain Leus du Plooy's mammoth 182. Three days later and they are back again at Lord's to welcome Worcestershire. They were outplayed by Derbyshire, but showed their usual Pears spirit to ensure they came away with a draw despite following-on.

Gloucestershire must quickly forget about what happened in the capital as they prepare to welcome Durham, after their long trip south west. The north east county showed signs of the cricket that won them Division Two in 2023 in their opening Storm Dave-disrupted draw with Kent.

While speaking of Kent, they host Northamptonshire at Canterbury, both off the back of opening draws when second best but still able to approach this one with the positive vibes of early season.

Image source, Getty Images

After failing to get over the line against a defiant Northants in round one last weekend – the last wicket denying them a victory that looked assured at tea on day four – Lancashire will be hoping home comforts help.

They will need a change of fortune from last season at Old Trafford where Lancs drew five matches and lost one (to Glamorgan).

A great return to the fray from Sir James Anderson, who took eight wickets in the game at Wantage Road, needs to be backed up if the Red Rose are to buck that trend.

This fixture last season ended in one of those Lancashire draws with Derbys hanging on seven down in the second innings.

For Derbyshire, a mammoth first innings 625-8 declared featuring a double century (228) from Martin Andersson, similarly proved not enough to land an opening round win against Worcs, who defied them with three second innings wickets in tact.

Image source, Shutterstock

Hampshire had Yorkshire to thank for their fortunate one-point escape from relegation after the White Rose bowled Durham out for 85 in the final fixture of the 2025 season.

But any lingering gratitude will have to stop once they cross the rope.

Last week's innings and 137 runs loss to a rampant Essex was a huge red flag that this could be another difficult season for Ben Brown's side who need the boost of a performance and quick.

Yorks are looking for their first win after a first day delayed by rain and restricted to 36 overs, effectively proved enough to deny a result in an entertaining game between Glamorgan and Yorks last week.

Yorks fell 56 runs short and Glam three wickets so with a clear run at round two (if the weather at Headingley plays ball) the hosts will feel they are in the sort of form to get their season up and running.

The White Rose's batting appeared to click a little better in the second innings at the top of the order and that could prove the key if Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean can get them off to better starts.

Image source, Shutterstock

Paul Walter, Dean Elgar, Josh Thomas (on his full debut) and Lewis Goldsworthy were all in the runs last September, and we could see similar with all four men in the XIs again today.

The player of the first round Matt Critchley is the most talked about though after his rare feat of notching his career-best bowling figures and batting innings in the same first match.

For Somerset, Craig Overton celebrates his birthday as stand-in skipper for Lewis Gregory, still out with apec injury. But the one surprising change is that Alfie Ogborne is rotated for Josh Shaw's Somerset debut.

Somerset must have the toughest start of the counties with the Champions followed by the runaway leaders after the most emphatic of first round wins, albeit that was against a Hampshire side who were very fortunate to stay up thanks to Durham's bizarre collapse in the last match of last season do not forget.

Image source, Shutterstock

What better way to silence the financial concerns and worries than to have an incredible first session of the season with your openers smashing it to all parts and then go on to win the first match by 222 runs!

That double nelson victory was some statement, but the deducted points sadly stops the seasiders being above even those who drew in the first round.

Warwickshire were one of those sides, though, and could have had an emphatic victory were it not for that phenomenal partnership from Ben Foakes and Tom Lawes saving Surrey from 65-6 on day one, it could have been a very different story before the pitch flattened out for much easier batting on the last two days.

Having Chris Woakes spearheading their attack seems to have lifted the west Midlands side, and with Dan Mousley benefiting from the higher responsibility spot of number three already, they could be dark horses in Division One this season.

Image source, Shutterstock

Nottinghamshire should not be too perturbed by an opening day draw at Somerset, who finished third in Division One last season, as they look to defend their title.

But they might have this down as one where they'd expect to go one further and pick up their first win of the campaign against a Glamorgan side who were promoted from Division Two.

On paper, at least. But we all know that cricket matches are won out on that green thing.

Glamorgan themselves also played out a draw at home to Yorkshire in their curtain-raiser, which should set them in good stead to compete in the top-flight for the first time in 20 years.

This may well go some way to showing what their expectations should be for 2026.

Image source, Shutterstock

Expected Division One title challengers Surrey looked to be in big trouble when they slumped to 65-6 on the opening day of the season at Warwickshire.

But a fantastic century by Ben Foakes, who was ably supported by Tom Lawes and Sean Abbott provided the foundation for what would eventually be a hard-earned draw after the hosts racked up 544.

Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence were the heroes in their second innings with a 217-run stand to ensure their quest to claw back the trophy from Nottinghamshire got off to a better start than they may have initially feared.

They welcome a Leicestershire side to The Oval who endured a humbling return to the top flight for the first time in 23 years in their 222-run defeat against Sussex.

Test won't come much harder than this one for the Foxes and if they are to keep to head coach Alfonso Thomas' promise of "not wanting to just make up the numbers", this would be the perfect stage to show some mettle.

A nice touch today for New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel, who makes his debut for the visitors today.

Image source, Shutterstock

Division One

Chelmsford: Essex v Somerset - Somerset won the toss and will field

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Glamorgan - Glamorgan won the toss and will field

The Oval: Surrey v Leicestershire - Leicestershire won the toss and will field

Hove: Sussex v Warwickshire - Warwickshire won the toss and will bat

Headingley: Yorkshire v Hampshire - Yorkshire won the toss and will field

Division Two

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Durham - Gloucestershire won the toss and will field

Canterbury: Kent v Northamptonshire - Northamptonshire won the toss and will bat

Old Trafford: Lancashire v Derbyshire - Derbyshire won the toss and will field

Lord's: Middlesex v Worcestershire - Middlesex won the toss and will field

Image source, Shutterstock

Good morning, everybody! Isn't it just lovely to have this tingly feeling again so quickly?

Eyes are in, arms are loosened and the dust fully scraped off after a gripping opening round of County Championship fixtures.

And we've got plenty of red-ball cricket to enjoy for the foreseeable (well, until mid-June at least).

Lots to ponder over for the second games of the season. Will defending champions Nottinghamshire and previous dominators Surrey notch up their first wins of the season after both drawing last time out?

Will Essex build on their impressive start to the season as they hunt a first top-flight title since 2019?

Over in Division Two, will anyone join Middlesex by adding to the W column by close of play Monday?

All that to come over the next four days. Let's get going!