A crafty century from opener Tom Lammonby (109) and an unbeaten 70 from Lewis Goldworthy helped Somerset to stay on top against Kent on the opening day of their County Championship clash in Taunton. Lammonby put on a half-century opening stand with skipper Tom Abell before stitching a crucial 132-run stand with Goldsworthy.
Adam Rossington’s counterattacking century (104) and his 177-run stand with Matthew Critchley (83 not out) helped Essex to stay on top against Hampshire in Chelmsford. Essex were in big trouble at 132/5 after their top-five had failed but Rossington produced a typically aggressive knock and along with Critchley, bailing the home side. to safer waters.
A four-wicket haul from Will Davis led Leicestershire’s dramatic fightback on the opening day of their Championship clash against Yorkshire in Leicester. Davis began the procession by breaking a threatening partnership between Finlay Bean and Shan Masood, and the visitors collapsed dramatically thereafter, losing eight wickets for just 76 runs. Davis struck early in the innings and also came back later on to prevent a lower order rearguard. Tom Scriven and Scott Currie also weighed in with two wickets apiece.
Seamers called the shots in a 14-wicket opening day in the Championship clash between Middlesex and Warwickshire at Lord’s. Oliver Hannon-Dalby exploited the helpful conditions early on with a five-wicket haul as Middlesex were rolled out inside 40 overs. Chris Rushworth and Ed Barnard also picked up two-fers respectively to rip through the hosts’ batting line-up. In reply, Warwickshire were rattled by a fab new-ball spell from seasoned Irish seamer Tim Murtagh who snared three wickets to dent the top-order.