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 Nottinghamshire against Warwickshire, day two.

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Chris Woakes saluted Ed Barnard’s unbeaten century after the Warwickshire captain withstood a fierce spell from Josh Tongue to help his side fight back from 97-4.

The former England man and Barnard helped rebuild Warks faltering innings to finish 375-8.

And Woakes was full of praise for his skipper in the face of terrific spells from Tongue which saw the England man take 5-91.

“From 97 for four, that definitely is a good score, a good day for the lads, led by a brilliant knock from Ed Barnard, coming in against a Nottinghamshire attack that was up and at it, with a few wickets under their belts, Tonguey bowling quickly. Ed is a proper player, which he showed today.

“We know how much of a quality player he is, but I think, deep down as a player, when you do take over the captaincy, as he has, it's nice to just get that one over the line and have that first contribution.

Notts bowling coach Kevin Shine praised Tongue’s contribution, saying: “Josh was high pace, high class. He doesn't come here to get ready to play for England, he comes to help us to win games of cricket and you've seen there the commitment he's shown was fantastic.”

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A sixth-wicket partnership worth 165 runs between Tom Price and John Simpson has given Sussex the edge over Yorkshire at Headingley.

Sussex are chasing a third win in as many games this season and all-rounder Price, who made 93, said although they would have planned to bowl first they were pleased with how the opening day went.

“We know it’s a good surface here. It was nothing too complicated, play each ball on its merit and score runs. Simmo’s a great person to bat with. We all know how good he is," Price said.

“I’m really pleased with how it’s gone for me so far, even though it would have been nice to kick on there."

Yorkshire all-rounder George Hill took 2-58 on day one and admitted it had been a tough day for the bowlers.

“We thought the wicket would offer a bit more than it did. It turned out to be quite slow. I’m not sure we got it right through the entirety of the day. We were good in phases but let it slip at crucial times," said Hill.

“When we had them 150-5, we thought a couple more wickets after that would definitely see us batting this evening. But it didn’t go that way. Simpson and Price played well to be fair to them.”

Glamorgan skipper Kiran Carlson was still pretty happy despite falling for 95 himself before Ben Kellaway replacement Sean Dickson fell for 90.

Dickson took a particular liking to a man he won the Blast alongside just last Summer, Josh Davey, notching his highest first-class score since 2022.

But there was no century, let alone triple century for the former Kent, Durham and Somerset opener, batting in the middle-order again for Glamorgan.

Carlson was quite happy with his decision at the toss.

"I think the wicket looks dry, good weather and hopefully it starts spinning to bring us into the game," he said.

"Me and [Asa] Tribe might even have to roll our arm over and help Mason [Crane] out but he's bowling and batting beautifully at the moment, his confidence is really high; hopefully tomorrow, after he piles on a load more runs, he can get the ball in his hand and cause some havoc again."

One of the last round's Leicestershire centurions, Ben Cox, agrees with Carlson's nod to spin soon on this pitch.

"I think the pitch will turn, it's just if the footholes are straight enough; it is a hybrid wicket and it is dry and if the weather stays like that there's high chance it will turn, it's a dry wicket but a good one, Mason [Crane] made a new ball look flat," he said.

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Opening bat Paul Walter was satisfied with Essex's first-day position after scoring 101 on a highly-competitive opening day at The Oval.

Essex were on top at 183-0, but Surrey fought back in a manner befitting a team that won the title in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

"For me, particularly batting with Dean Elgar in that opening partnership, it was another great day at a great ground and in front of a big crowd," said Walter, who also hit a century in last season's corresponding fixture.

“I think the pitch did a bit consistently all day and they bowled pretty well in that middle period, Jordan Clark especially.

"We now need to back it up on day two because it’s still a pretty good pitch so we will have to be on it."

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Lancashire assistant coach William Porterfield believes a total of 400 would give the Red Rose a “fantastic position” on day two against Durham.

Marcus Harris made best use of being dropped early in his innings to finish unbeaten on 135, his second century of the season following 125 against Derbys in the opening round.

“Marcus has been incredible, he was all last season and has carried that into this season as well. He's as great in the changing room and off the pitch as he is on it," said Porterfield.

“We've got to come out tomorrow morning and eke out as many as we can. If can do what we did in the last 20 overs tomorrow, get up to 400 then that'll be a fantastic position."

Durham seamer Sam Conners was left hoping the missed chances do not cost his side.

"It was probably a day of what could have been. If we take those chances early doors, Harris was one of them, if we got him early then it would've been a day when we could've got stuck into that middle order a bit earlier."

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Miles Hammond admitted it has been a "tough start" to the season for Gloucestershire after hitting an unbeaten 140 on day one at the Co-op County Ground.

They went into the game against Derbyshire with just three points from their two previous games and struggled to 167-6 before Hammond and Ed Middleton steadied the innings.

"It was a tricky situation early on. The pitch is an interesting one, a bit of a hybrid, a bit soft, and me and Ed had to really dig in there," Hammond said.

"It's great for the team. It's been a tough start against a couple of good teams and it was really important that we showed a bit of fight. We got stuck in, showed some good methods and we've got our foot in the door."

Looking very good again.

"If you've got outdoor plans this weekend, then, for the vast majority of us, yet again it's going to be fine and dry - lots of blue skies and strong April sunshine," says BBC Weather forecaster Elizabeth Rizzini.

If you're going to a ground, make sure to take some factor 50.

Division One

Glamorgan 334-7 v Leicestershire

Nottinghamshire v Warwickshire 375-8

Surrey v Essex 325-6

Yorkshire v Sussex 373-6

Division Two

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire 287-6

Durham v Lancashire 356-7

Worcestershire 94-1 v Kent 196

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It only seems like yesterday that we were describing events on the opening day of the 2026 county cricket season.

But yesterday was in fact the opening day of the fourth round of matches and there was some great action at the seven grounds.

Five centuries were scored and four players were dismissed in the 90s - but it was the bowlers who were on top at New Road as Kent were bowled out for 196 by Worcestershire.

We are set fair for another cracking day's cricket so welcome to our coverage. Play starts at 11:00.