Image source, Getty Images

This was the fixture in which Nottinghamshire emphatically sealed the County Championship Division One title at the end of last season, and they have begun the defence of their crown in promising fashion.

Notts were not, however, in action in the most recent round of matches ahead of a busy schedule in front of them, but they begin this game on the back of a home victory over Glamorgan, in which Jack Haynes and Joe Clarke made decisive contributions with the bat in either innings.

Warwickshire, meanwhile, posted their first win of the season on Monday when they overcame Essex by 41 runs, in a low-scoring encounter with a tense finish. They restore Chris Woakes to their starting XI after he was rested at Edgbaston last week.

Image source, Getty Images

Yorkshire welcome back Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow as they seek to win their first game of the season against Sussex at Headingley.

Anthony McGrath has described the availability of the England duo as a “huge boost” after a disappointing start to the campaign.

In more good news for Yorkshire, Harry Brook though not involved today, will be available for the upcoming games against Warwickshire and Surrey so things could be looking up for the side sat bottom of the table at this early stage of the season.

It has been a much better start from Sussex who have won both of their opening fixtures to wipe out their pre-season points deficit and move up to fourth.

Paul Farbrace’s men won their opener against Leicestershire by 222 runs and followed that up with a five-wicket victory over Warwickshire when Jack Leaning and Tom Price put on a partnership of 144 to complete a memorable run chase.

Image source, Shutterstock

Durham host Lancashire at Chester-le-Street in a battle between two of Division Two's pre-season promotion favourites.

James Anderson took eight wickets in the match for the Red Rose as they beat Gloucestershire by four wickets on Monday and the England legend plays for a fourth consecutive match this season.

That win took Lancashire top of the table and in their week off Durham have fallen to fourth in the table since their dominant victory in Bristol last time out.

A wonderful innings from opener Ben McKinney of 244 helped Durham to an innings and 225 run victory and fast bowler Kemar Roach, who has made a good start to the season with nine wickets so far, drops out for this one and is replaced by Sam Conners in their only change.

Image source, Getty Images

'An embarrassment of riches' is an odd phrase, isn't it? Surrey have several quality seamers to choose from but they certainly won't be embarrassed about being able to call on the services of England's Gus Atkinson for the first time this season.

He played in three of the winter Ashes Tests in Australia, taking six wickets, and will be keen to remind the selectors of his ability as they ponder their options for the summer ahead and help Surrey register their first Championship win after two draws.

Essex captain Tom Westley has recovered from the damaged finger which forced him to pull out of their season-opening innings win over Hampshire, but Wiaan Mulder remains in South Africa for personal reasons and Zaman Akhter has a side injury.

Since that opening win, Essex have lost to Somerset and Warwickshire and director of cricket Chris Silverwood told BBC Essex: "That's two games now where we've been found wanting and we've got to come up with some answers - simple as that."

Division One

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Leicestershire

Glamorgan won the toss and will bat

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Warwickshire

Notts won the toss and put Warwickshire in

The Oval: Surrey v Essex

Surrey won the toss and put Essex in

Headingley: Yorkshire v Sussex

Yorkshire won the toss and put Sussex in

Division Two

Derby: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire won the toss and will bat

Riverside: Durham v Lancashire

Durham won the toss and put Lancashire in

Worcester: Worcestershire v Kent

Kent won the toss and will bat

Image source, Getty Images

Fate, as we know, can be cruel. Wayne Madsen waited till his 40s to play in a World Cup - for Italy - and dislocated his shoulder in the opening match (he probably won't thank us for reminding him).

Now, 75 days later, Madsen is ready to play again and will captain a Derbyshire team who finished third in Division Two last season - when he scored 1158 runs - but have yet to win so far this season.

Their situation, though, is far healthier than that of round four opponents Gloucestershire, who only have the not-so-grand total of three points from their first two games - they were docked two for a slow over-rate against Middlesex.

News of Ben Charlesworth's departure to Lancashire at the end of this season can only have darkened the mood of Bristol members further.

Division One table

Image source, BBC Sport

Division Two table

Image source, BBC Sport

"High pressure is going to be with us, not just today, but throughout the weekend and into next week as well. There really isn't a lot of rain in the forecast at all, it's going to be mostly dry - and sunny as well."

Thank you to Chris Fawkes for those encouraging words.

You can watch Chris' latest video forecast and get more localised information via the BBC Weather website - just click here.

Image source, Shutterstock

April is, according to TS Eliot, "the cruellest month".

It's unlikely that Somerset and Lancashire currently share that poetic opinion as they sit pretty on top of the County Championship Division One and Two tables.

Somerset, though, aren't involved this week, giving Notts and Warwickshire - who play each other - the chance to supplant them.

Welcome to our coverage of seven matches. Play starts at 11:00 and there is the prospect of one or two 'famous faces' being involved for the first time this season. More on that shortly.