CHAMPIONSHIP DIGEST: Round-up from the latest round of red-ball matches

Rain led to no play in four matches across the country - but there was a flurry of wickets when play was possible

Division One

Welbeck Colliery CC (second day of four): Nottinghamshire 162, Hampshire 93-2

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Heavy rain wiped out the entire second day of Nottinghamshire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Hampshire at Welbeck.

Light morning drizzle turned into heavy and prolonged showers, leaving the club ground saturated and players and supporters frustrated.

Umpires Nick Cook and Paul Pollard were left with little option but to call play off for the day when they inspected soon after lunch.

The weather forecast for the remainder of the match would suggest that chances of further play aren’t encouraging.

On the opening day of the match Hampshire closed on 93 for 2 in reply to Nottinghamshire’s all out total of 162.

Canterbury (first day of four): Kent v Somerset

Scorecard

The first day of Kent’s Specsavers County Championship clash with Division One leaders Somerset fell foul to heavy overnight rain and bad light throughout the afternoon in Canterbury, where not a ball was bowled in anger.

Match umpires Martin Saggers, the former Kent and England swing bowler, and Billy Taylor, the ex-Hampshire and Sussex all-rounder, inspected conditions dutifully at 11am, 1.15pm, 2pm, 3pm and again 4pm, but with leaden skies, a sodden outfield and no improvement in the forecast, the officials finally called it off for the day soon after 4pm.

Day two is scheduled for an 11am start with the potential to extend the action by half-an-hour though until 6.30pm.

^{No play was possible at Guildford}

Guildford (first day of four): Surrey v Yorkshire

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No play was possible on the first day of Surrey’s Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Yorkshire at Guildford.

Heavy overnight rain, which continued this morning, left ground staff facing a lengthy mopping-up operation. The rain briefly stopped, and the covers started to come off shortly after umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Tim Robinson had decided there would be no play before lunch.

But the rain returned shortly afterwards and after an early lunch at 12.30pm play was abandoned for the day at 1.10pm.

Division Two

Chester-le-Street (first day of four): Durham 209-7 v Northamptonshire

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Durham's Ben Raine and Brydon Carse produced an unbroken century stand for the eighth wicket to thwart Northamptonshire on day one of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at Emirates Riverside.

Ben Sanderson had put the home side on the back foot with a brilliant spell of 3-18 with the new ball, clean bowling the top three in the order. He was well backed up Matt Coles and Nathan Buck, who took two wickets apiece, reducing the home side to 81-7 during the afternoon session.

However, Raine and Carse led the Durham fightback in the lower order, defying the visitors with their patient approach to reach their century partnership, with the former leading the way by notching his career-best of 75. Durham earned their first batting bonus point by passing the 200-run mark, ending the day in a solid position considering their start to the contest.

Leicester (first day of four): Leicestershire v Middlesex

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^{Anderson remains in sparkling form}

Worcester (first day of four): Worcestershire 98 v Lancashire

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Lancashire new ball duo Jimmy Anderson and Graham Onions inflicted more misery on Worcestershire who were bowled out for 98 on a rain-hit opening day in the Specsavers County Championship match at Blackfinch New Road.

Anderson and Onions had been the destroyer in chiefs last month in reducing Worcestershire to 38-7 on the opening day of the match at Emirates Old Trafford which Lancashire won by six wickets.

It was the same story today as Anderson (14.1-5-24-4) and Onions (14-1-55-4) were largely responsible for the home side being skittled in just 38.1 overs with some top class bowling.

Saqib Mahmood (8-4-8-2) ensured there was no let-up in the current Division Two leaders dominance of proceedings after they had opted to bowl under leaden skies.

The heavens opened shortly after the players left the field shortly after 2.30pm and there was no chance for Lancashire to launch their reply when play was called off for the day at 4.35pm.

Courtesy of the ECB reporters network