Division One

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Yorkshire - no play before lunch

Utilita Bowl: Hampshire v Essex 37-2

Leicester: Leicestershire v Sussex 154-2

Taunton: Somerset 78-3 v Nottinghamshire

Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Surrey 61-4

Division Two

Derby: Derbyshire 100-1 v Worcestershire

Riverside: Durham 125-3 v Kent

Lord's: Middlesex 45-1 v Gloucestershire

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Lancashire 99-1

Derbyshire reach three figures in the final over of the morning as Matthew Montgomery clips Tom Taylor to mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Having just missed out on promotion last summer, they will be content with a solid start after Worcestershire loan signing Olly Hannon-Dalby bowled a good new-ball spell of 0-19 from six overs.

Captain Harry Came is the only man out, caught behind off Taylor after hitting nine fours in his 50 off 79 balls.

Something for everyone at CLS after Kent inserted the hosts this morning.

Ben McKinney departed early, giving Glenton Stuurman a debut wicket, but Alex Lees and Emilio Gay in particular have cashed in on some rather errant bowling from the visitors.

Lees (29) and David Bedingham (12) were caught at first slip by Zak Crawley off Keith Dudgeon but Gay has motored along with 11 boundaries, looking particularly strong through the leg side.

Gay's wicket feels like the key to which of these sides ultimately wrestles the initiative on the opening day at the Riverside.

Absorbing session of cricket in the books in Birmingham.

Rory Burns ran himself out in catastrophic fashion early-on and, after coming in at three, Jamie Smith followed him back to the dressing room soon after for nine after following a couple of lovely shots with a wasteful flash outside off which saw him caught behind by Kai Smith to leave Surrey 17-2.

Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley dug-in to stop the rot but Pope was pinned infront by Ethan Bamber for 20 and Bamber tempted Dan Lawrence (5) into an edge just two balls before the interval to leave his side wobbling as they head in for some lunch.

James Coles drives Sam Wood handsomely for four and adds a single as Sussex go into lunch after dominating the morning session against Division One new boys Leicestershire at Grace Road.

Coles is 13 not out, with Tom Clark on 53 at the other end, having shared a stand of 79 with Tom Haines, who rather gave his wicket away with a loose shot after hitting 56 off 61 balls.

Just three maidens among the 30 overs bowled in the session after the home side won the toss and opted to field first.

Lunch at Wantage Road and it is the visitors who will enjoy it better after a morning session that has seen the Red Rose rack up three figures for the loss of one man.

We have ended with a bit of spin with leggie Calvin Harrison sending down the second over of his mini spell.

Luke Wells has batted very well for his half century (51) and Josh Bohannon has looked assured for his 21.

All in all a good session for Lancs who have made best of their decision to bat, the loss of Harry Singh being their only backward step.

The moment Gloucestershire players will have looked forward to most of a cold April morning session in the capital. They have toiled hard this morning with their threadbare seam-bowling stocks and deserve their posh fodder.

Michael Atherton has been sat next to me in the Taunton press box all morning keeping half an eye on his son, Josh de Caires managed 12 before left-armer Matt Taylor had him strangled down the leg-side.

Slow scoring for Middlesex thus far, Sam Robson hit the first boundary at 12.01pm, not even on the first morning then! He lunches 27*, Max Holden yet to get off the mark.

Harry Everett
BBC Sport from Taunton

Yet again Somerset look to James Rew and Tom Abell to salvage a below par morning with the bat in the first innings.

But in fairness it is better than it could have been for home fans come their first fish and chips of the 'summer.'

Atherton has spent most of the morning asking about our famous fish and chips, so that is on my mind even though I am sticking to a westcountry pasty for my lunch.

Dillon Pennington and Olly Stone bowled a decent opening spell as expected, this accounted for Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Lammonby, one wicket a piece. Josh Thomas was fortunate to survive so long and did well to get 40 before falling to Liam Patterson-White's first over of the season.

Notts missing Brett Hutton and Josh Tongue greatly, their change bowlers a considerable downgrade on their openers.

Double 'spin' before lunch as Haseeb Hameed realises Rob Lord and Lyndon James were not threatening Tom Abell or James Rew enough.

Freddie McCann comes on for an over of part-time offies from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.

'That's filth' says Michael Atherton on his second ball long hop that James Rew smashes out to deep cover for one.

Spin a generous word, slow right arm maybe more appropriate as the pitch offers very little spin for the finger spinner this early in the year.

50 for Wellspublished at 12:54 BST 3 April

12:54 BST 3 April

Northants v Lancs 95-1

That is not quite where he intended but Luke Wells gets an inside edge into the leg side to bring up his half century.

It has taken the left-hander 70 balls and contained nine boundaries.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Kent won the toss under grey skies - and with the lights on - here in CLS and put Durham in.

Ben McKinney was soon back in the pavilion as he fell for eight, in the fourth over, to an in-swinging yorker from debutant Glenton Stuurman.

Alex Lees and Emilio Gay then put on 50 in no time before Lees departed on 29, edging Keith Dudgeon to Zak Crawley at first slip. And having hit Dudgeon for three fours in the one over, David Bedingham perished as he tried to take him on for a fourth time.

He cut a shortish ball into the hands of Crawley when on 12. It was a shot he didn't need to play and it proved costly.

Gay has gone on to reach his 50 with nine boundaries and is playing some lovely shots today, caressing the ball around the field.

Durham haven't won their opening game of the season since a victory at Taunton. I missed that one because my daughter was born that week. She's 11 next week!

for Emilio Gaypublished at 12:48 BST 3 April

12:48 BST 3 April

Durham 111-3 v Kent

The first milestone of the summer for Emilio Gay, and it won't be the last at this rate - possibly even today.

Nine fours in this 68-ball knock, the latest from the last ball, clipping Grant Stewart through mid-wicket as the all-rounder strays across the stumps.

He's timed it like a dream all morning and looked relatively untroubled.

Good foundation for Gay, and Durham, this.

for Tom Clarkpublished at 12:47 BST 3 April

12:47 BST 3 April

Leics v Sussex 140-2

That's the way to do it. Sam Wood overpitches and Tom Clark eases the ball through mid-on for four to bring up his half-century from 70 balls.

Clark only managed to pass 50 once in the 2025 County Championship - but did convert it into a hundred. He'll be hoping to do the same again here.

Dropped catchpublished at 12:46 BST 3 April

12:46 BST 3 April

Hants v Essex 27-1

That could be a costly drop as Joe Weatherley has put down Tom Westley (16) off Sonny Baker at second slip.

It rather died on him but at first sight looked like it should have been taken.

This has been a watchful start from Essex who have taken their time to recover from the early loss of Dean Elgar against accurate bowling from South African pairing Kyle Abbott and Codi Yusuf.

Clive Eakin
BBC CWR Sport

It's felt strange watching the tall, shaven-headed figure of Olly Hannon-Dalby bowling for Worcestershire at Derby.

The long-time Warwickshire stalwart has been drafted in by the Pears while they wait for the strange case of Beyers Swanepoel to be sorted.

The South African is sitting at home having apparently upset his home board by leaving a match early to catch a flight to England.

Hannon-Dalby's opening spell for his temporary new county proved wicket-less but he asked a question or two after taking a couple of overs to get into his usual steady rhythm.

In fact it wasn't until the 21st over that Tom Taylor claimed Worcestershire's first wicket of the season dismissing Derbyshire's acting captain Harry Came, whose impressive half century was marred only by the loose shot that ended it.

Haseeb Hameed has got no success through his seamers in the past hour so he turns to his left-arm spinners for a couple of overs before lunch.

No Calvin Harrison for Notts anymore to come and torment his two previous school team mates in Taunton, and no Farhan Ahmed in this XI.

Liam Patterson-White is the chosen one, from Jack Leach's River End, he could manage two or even three overs before the interval if the over rate is nearly as good from t'other end.

It's been a solid opening 100 minutes of the season for last year's wooden spoonists, that's for sure.