Find out what happened on day one of the latest round of LV= Insurance County Championship matches
DIVISION ONE
The Oval (first day of four): Surrey 445-5, Kent
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Hashim Amla scored the 56th first-class hundred of his stellar career and Ben Geddes his first as Surrey put Kent’s below-strength attack to the sword by piling up 445 for 5 on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at the Kia Oval.
Kent’s suffering was heightened as stumps approached by Sam Curran’s explosive 53 not out from just 28 balls. Remarkably, Jamie Smith, who was bowled by a persevering Toby Pettman in the final over for a classy 55, did not score a single run after Curran came in at the fall of Geddes for 124 to a sharp, tumbling second slip catch by Jordan Cox off Matt Milnes.
Amla, the 39-year-old former South Africa batsman, also hit 124 and was joined by 20-year-old Geddes in a third-wicket stand of 213 in 56 overs after Kent had asked Surrey to bat on a well-grassed but true pitch.
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Chelmsford (first day of four): Essex 238, Hampshire 68-6 – Hampshire trail by 170 runs with four first-innings wickets in hand
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Simon Harmer spun four evening wickets to entangle Hampshire after Shane Snater’s 71 had dug Essex out of a hole in their County Championship clash.
Allrounder Snater became Essex’s third-highest Championship run-scorer and recorded his third half-century this season to help Essex recover from 105 for 7 to 238 all out.
Harmer entered, after Sam Cook nabbed the openers, to bamboozle Hampshire’s batters on a spinning wicket with 4 for 23 to see the Championship hopefuls slump to 68 for 6 at the close.
Hashim Amla [Ben Hoskins/Getty Images]
Northampton (first day of four): Northamptonshire 420-6, Warwickshire
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Rob Keogh’s first century since the season’s opening game led the run glut for Northamptonshire on day one of their County Championship clash with Warwickshire at Wantage Road.
The county’s longest-serving player struck 130 with 20 fours in a three-and-three-quarter hour stay of elegant stroke play as the hosts reached 420 for 6.
The right-hander shared a fifth-wicket stand of 161 with Josh Cobb (88) – all this after Emilio Gay had caressed his way to 70 in the morning session.
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Bristol (first day of four): Gloucestershire 279-7, Lancashire
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Chris Dent’s second County Championship century of the season failed to prevent Lancashire edging an absorbing first day against Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
The experienced opener continued a highly impressive season by scoring an unbeaten 109 off 246 balls, with 16 fours, but saw his team slip from 156 for 2 to close on 279 for 7.
Left-arm spinner Jack Morley, who celebrated his 21st birthday on the eve of the match, claimed 3for 79 from 23 overs on only his second first-class appearance, while there were two wickets each for Tom Bailey and Luke Wood.
Haseeb Hameed [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]
DIVISION TWO
Nottingham (first day of four): Nottinghamshire 378-4, Middlesex
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Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire dominated the opening day of their County Championship meeting with second-placed Middlesex at Trent Bridge.
There was a second century of the summer for Haseeb Hameed, who made 112 against the same opponents at Lord’s in May, and as Nottinghamshire closed on 378 for 4, all-rounder Lyndon James was within reach of his second hundred of 2022 on 90 not out. Skipper Steven Mullaney was not far behind with an unbeaten 79.
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Hove (first day of four): Derbyshire 339-5, Sussex
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Wayne Madsen became only the third Derbyshire batsmen to score three consecutive hundreds against the same county as his side enjoyed a good first day against Sussex in the County Championship at Hove.
Sussex, seeking their first Championship win since April 2021, had the better of the morning session when they reduced Derbyshire to 83 for 4, but Madsen didn’t offer a chance on an easy-paced pitch as he progressed serenely to his 34th first- class century for the county. Only Kim Barnett (53) scored more.
By the close Madsen was 171 not out – the highest score by a Derbyshire batsman in Sussex – as they closed on 339 for 5 from 97 overs.
Wayne Madsen [Bryn Lennon/Getty Images]
Worcester (first day of four): Worcestershire 271, Glamorgan 32-3 – Glamorgan trail by 239 runs with seven first-innings wickets in hand
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Ed Barnard continued his impressive form with the bat to lead a Worcestershire fightback on the opening day of the County Championship match with Glamorgan at New Road.
The allrounder struck his third hundred of the campaign as the home side recovered from 63 for 5 on a seamer friendly pitch also showing early signs of some turn.
Then fit again Worcestershire pace bowler Joe Leach made a treble breakthrough just before close with a deadly spell with the new ball.
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