County Championship Division One roundup: Essex dominate Kent and wickets tumble at Trent Bridge

The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action on day one of the 11th round of LV= Insurance County Championship matches in 2023

Chelmsford (day one of four): Kent 207, Essex 106-0 - Essex trail by 101 runs with 10 wickets remaining

Sir Alastair Cook notched the 123rd half century of his bejewelled career as he steered Essex into a commanding position on the first day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Kent.

Cook, still there at the close on 64, was joined in an unbeaten first-wicket stand of 106 by Nick Browne, who was painstakingly attempting to rebuild his flagging form after a run of three successive ducks. He was on the path to redemption with 31 from 117 balls.

Earlier, Kent elected to bat on a green-tinged wicket under heavy grey clouds that necessitated the use of floodlights after an hour. Their innings lasted just short of two sessions for 207 as the lower-order threw away their wickets with some abandon.

Only a sedate 58-run fourth-wicket partnership between Ben Compton, who recorded an 81-ball 47, and captain Jack Leaning interrupted a regular clatter of wickets with nagging seamers Sam Cook and Jamie Porter sharing six of them equally.

Lord's (day one of four): Surrey 312-5, Middlesex

Jamie Smith registered his second century of the season to give LV= Insurance County Championship leaders Surrey the edge on the opening day of their London derby against Middlesex at Lord's.

The 23-year-old produced an accomplished knock to finish unbeaten on 120, while captain Rory Burns hit 79 as Surrey – seeking their first red-ball victory in north London since 1997 – posted 312 for 5 after being put in to bat.

Ethan Bamber was the pick of the Middlesex bowlers, somehow completing the day wicketless despite a relentlessly consistent effort as he sent down 22 overs that cost only 40.

Fellow seamers Tom Helm and Ryan Higgins gained more tangible reward for their labours with the ball, returning figures of 3 for 86 and 2 for 70 respectively.

^{Jamie Smith made a fine hundred for Surrey (Luke Walker/Getty Images)}

Northampton (day one of four): Somerset 351, Northamptonshire

Jack White showed his liking for Somerset for the second time this season on day one of Northamptonshire's LV= Insurance clash with the T20 Blast champions at Wantage Road.

The seamer's only other five wicket-haul this season came when he returned 5 for 103 in the reverse fixture at Taunton in early May and he bettered that here with 5 for 77.

Despite this herculean effort spread over 25 overs, half centuries for Sean Dickson and George Bartlett, plus a valuable 48 from skipper Lewis Gregory led Somerset to three batting points before they were bowled out on the stroke of stumps for 351, Craig Overton left stranded on 40 not out.

Trent Bridge (day one of four): Hampshire 166, Nottinghamshire 87-5 - Nottinghamshire trail by 79 runs with five wickets remaining

The odds continue to lengthen against fourth-placed Hampshire finally claiming the crown this season exactly fifty years since last they won the title.

But they revived from a disastrous start at Trent Bridge courtesy of a fine late flourish from James Fuller whose belligerent 46 from 49 balls helped them to 166 all out before Ian Holland reduced Nottinghamshire to 87 for 5.

^{Alastair Cook is unbeaten overnight (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)}

Edgbaston (day one of four): Lancashire 295-7, Warwickshire

George Balderson bailed out Lancashire's misfiring top order on his return to the team for the LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Back in the side in place of the departed Colin de Grandhomme, Balderson struck a correct and composed unbeaten 94 off 202 balls to lift his side to 295 for seven on the opening day at Edgbaston.

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