The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round five of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Old Trafford (day one of four): Kent 203-7, Lancashire
Kent's Joey Evison made his third fifty of the season but could not prevent Lancashire having the best of the first day of their Vitality County Championship match against Kent at Emirates Old Trafford.
Evison was helped by Grant Stewart, with whom he put on 69 for the seventh wicket, a stand-in which both batsmen took the attack to Lancashire’s Test spinners, Nathan Lyon and Tom Hartley, on a cloudy afternoon in Manchester.
The pair came together with their side poorly placed on 129 for 6 after George Balderson had taken three prime wickets in 28 balls, but their calculated aggression had enabled the visitors to reach 203 for seven, with Evison unbeaten on 50, when rain arrived five overs into the evening session and prevented any chance of a resumption.
Joey Evison kept Kent in touch at Old Trafford (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Taunton (day one of four): Essex 156 & 6-0, Somerset 128 - Essex lead by 34 runs with 10 second-innings wickets remaining
Twenty wickets fell, all to seam bowling, on an action-packed opening day of Somerset’s Vitality County Championship First Division match with Essex at Taunton.
Migael Pretorius led the way for the hosts, claiming four for 36 as Essex were bowled out for 156, having lost the toss on an overcast morning. There were two wickets each for Craig Overton and Jake Ball on a green pitch.
Only Tom Westley (43) and Harry Duke (25) offered much resistance. Somerset then folded to 128 all out in reply, Jamie Porter (5 for 37) and Sam Cook (5 for 38) doing all the damage, with Tom Lammonby battling his way to 38.
Essex were left with one over to face at the end of the day and posted six without loss, Cook opening with Dean Elgar.
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