Oof! So nearly a third wicket...

Ben Green angles one back in to James Wharton and takes his outside edge, but it drops just short of Ajaz Patel at second slip.

Leicestershire need positive results and it looks like the groundsman has prepared a positive pitch. If you're a bowler that is.

A couple of early Yorkshire wickets would suggest there's something in it for the bowlers at Grace Road, Dave!

Steady as she goes for Northants.

Luke Procter then leaves one alone from Ben Raine and it is not far from the off-stump.

Excellent judgement from the batter, frustration for the bowler.

A probing over from Nathan Gilchrist who beats Lewis Goldworthy's outside the edge with a beauty which held its line outside off-stump.

The sun has gone in for now and the Bears opening bowlers have their tails up.

Brett Hutton sends another one past the edge of Dean Elgar and gazes to the sky in frustration.

It is hot work out there and the bowlers might start getting a bit hot under the collar with the amount of playing and missing so far.

Toby Albert signed a new Hampshire contract at the start of the month - but hasn’t produced much form in the T20 Blast so far, wirh a high score of 39.

He failed twice last week at Surrey and is now batting at Hove after the visitors won the toss.

Dom Goodman, who joined Sussex from Gloucestershire over the winter, is sharing the new ball in his second game for his new club.

Circumspect start from the two Bens for Kent as Compton and Dawkins have take the score to 5-0 in the sixth over against Middlesex.

No wickets either in Worcester where Gloucestershire are 20-0 after deciding to bat with Joe Phillips and captain Cameron Bancroft at the crease against Worcestershire.

A boundary apiece for Paul Walter and Dean Elgar with crisply struck shots to get Essex up and running.

Walter is then less than convincing with the morning's third four as he edges through the slips.

Good, probing stuff from Fergus O'Neill and Brett Hutton for the visitors.

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport journalist at Chester-le-Street

Quiet start at Chester-le-Street where Ben Stokes is in his familiar position at mid-off. He's been chatting with his Durham team-mates and offering some pointers.

Before play he was warming up with his old mate Scott Borthwick, who was Stokes' best man when he got married almost a decade ago.

Image source, Shutterstock

The flag over the pavillion at the County Ground in Chelmsford will be at half mast for the duration of Essex's match with Nottinghamshire.

It is in memory of journalist Paul Hiscock who has passed away at the age of 79.

Paul was Wisden's correspondent for Essex and was a mainstay of the press box at Chelmsford, reporting on the club for a number of publications for more than 50 years.

He also co-authored a book '60 Classic Essex Matches.'

The players and spectators gave a minute's applause before play in tribute to him.

Essex are still yet to get a run on the board and we are into the fourth over.

Notts think Paul Walter has feathered an edge behind off Brett Hutton - the umpire does not agree.

In comes Hutton again, past the outside edge goes the ball again.

Plenty of hubbub around the ground with the appearance of England skipper Ben Stokes in the Durham side while his international future is decided.

How soon before he has a bowl?

No great worries so far for the Northants openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Luke Procter.

Gus Atinkson takes the new ball for Surrey, who lost the toss, and opens up with a maiden.

Billy Root opening the batting for Glamorgan - the first appearance of the season for the brother of England’s captain this week.

Two maidens to start for Notts and Fergus O'Neill resumes battle against Dean Elgar.

The seamer rattles one into the Essex opener's pads which is followed by a huge appeal for lbw.

A shake of the head from the umpire.

Testing times for Essex who won the toss and chose to bat.