Ringed by four close fielders, Sam Wood crunches James Coles over mid-off for four. The Leicestershire tail-ender does not lack confidence.

100 for Jamie Smithpublished at 14:01 BST 6 April

14:01 BST 6 April

Warwickshire 544 v Surrey 328 & 292-3

Jamie Smith managed just one half century and a top score of 60 in the winter Ashes series but he's telling the selectors he's in good form ahead of the summer series against New Zealand.

A cover driven four, his 14th boundary, brings up his 12th first class century coming off 199 balls.

A report of another century at Edgbaston may follow soon.

Postpublished at 13:59 BST 6 April

13:59 BST 6 April

Yorks 33-0 - target 295

Only six overs into the Yorkshire run-chase and Glamorgan skipper Kiran Carlson calls up leg-spinner Mason Crane. He took 5-55 in the first innings and this is now a day four pitch.

Crane starts with a long hop which Finlay Bean pulls for four - and follows it.....with a long hop, which Finlay Bean pulls for six.

The age-old question... how much do you risk in pursuit of glory? Questions are being asked of both Durham and Somerset at present.

They are back out in the middle at Grace Road following a slightly late lunch. Henry Crocombe will bowl the first over of the afternoon and Sam Wood is on strike. How long will this take Sussex?

After a little blitz and a couple of sixes from Lewis Goldsworthy and Craig Overton, Somerset have declared.

Notts will need 417 for victory in 60 overs at Taunton.

Somerset will want to repeat the feat of taking some quick wickets with the fresh cherry to boost any chances of an unlikely victory of their own.

Nice way for Finlay Bean to get off the mark as he strokes Timm van der Gugten away to the extra cover boundary. The Dutchman was guilty of overpitching there.

Left-hander Ben Compton opens the face twice in three balls to find the ropes off Kemar Roach.

The first is angled to backward point with the second, from a low full-toss, cracked away through the covers.

Kent would need to rattle along around five an over to keep any thoughts of a victory alive, but have to negotiate this testing new ball spell first.

The Somerset lead passes 400 in Liam Patterson-White's 35th over, almost unchanged - five singles off it then two off the last.

He has 4-175 and will sleep well tonight.

Matty Potts is convinced he's got Zak Crawley lbw in his first over but his England teammate stands his ground and the umpire seems to signal he thinks there's an inside edge onto the pad.

Early pressure from the hosts though. Kent are going to need to stand up to this.

Potts and Kemar Roach are about as tough as it gets with a new ball in county cricket, let alone in Division Two.

What have Northants had for lunch. Red meat perhaps?

Having barely offered a stroke in the morning session George Bartlett has crunched (well glanced and crunched) two fours from Jimmy Anderson to bookend his opening over.

And now James Sales has hit Tom Bailey for four through midwicket.

The chase is on.

for Lewis Goldsworthypublished at 13:45 BST 6 April

13:45 BST 6 April

Somerset 347 & 382-5 v Notts 338

Lewis Goldsworthy picks one up off a length from Lyndon James and deposits the ball over the deep backward square leg boundary for a maximum.

The lead is 391.

Timm van der Gugten almost finds a gap between bat and pad with a little bit of inswing but Yorkshire opener Adam Lyth is saved by a thin inside edge into his front pad.

No declaration.

Craig Overton is out there joining Lewis Goldsworthy in the middle. Somerset lead by 379. Five wickets in hand. 65 overs and change left.

No new ball for Notts yet either.

Waiting game.

Here we go then.

66 overs left in the day. Durham declared at the right point to avoid losing two for the change of ends at least.

Zak Crawley on strike with Ben Compton at the other end and Kemar Roach taking the new ball for Durham.

Let the chaos commence...

Positive start by Yorkshire as Adam Lyth leg-glances Timm van der Gugten for four and adds a second boundary off Ryan Hadley with a cover drive.

They have a total of 68 overs to try and chase down this target set by Glamorgan.

Image source, Shutterstock

Essex seam bowler Sam Cook believes his side have “laid down a marker” for the season with their comprehensive win over Hampshire on Sunday.

The 2019 champions, who face Somerset in round two at Chelmsford on Friday, have already shown a killer instinct which was lacking last season, according to Cook.

“We won each crucial moment of the game, which is something we lacked last season,” he said.

Essex will be without skipper Tom Westley, who fractured the index finger of his right hand when struck by a delivery from Sonny Baker, against Somerset.

But they will have the most in-form player in the country in their ranks in all-rounder Matt Critchley who finished against Hampshire with best ever bowling figures for Essex (5-9) and his highest first-class score with the bat (173).

“Critchley was phenomenal. It was one of the great all-round performances,” said Cook.

“The way he batted in those conditions was phenomenal and then his bowling is potentially in the shadow of (Simon) Harmer but he has been phenomenal for us in all facets. He is a top cricketer.”

Is there anything in sport better than a cricket ground on a sunny day?

Image source, Shutterstock

Image source, Shutterstock