COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: Cameron Bancroft and Ollie Price made centuries for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan, while Leicestershire piled on the runs against Derbyshire
Bristol (day one of four): Gloucestershire 368-3, Glamorgan
Cameron Bancroft marked his first appearance as Gloucestershire captain with a century to lead his side to a formidable 368 for 3 on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division game with Glamorgan at the Seat Unique Stadium.
The 32-year-old Australian hit 163, off 267 balls, with 19 fours and two sixes, sharing a second-wicket stand of 230 with Ollie Price, who contributed a patient 101, as the visitors were made to rue their decision to bowl first under cloudless skies.
The only wicket-takers were Ned Leonard, who struck twice, and Shoaib Bashir, although Zain ul Hassan and Timm van der Gugten were commendably economical as spectators basked in warm sunshine.
Related: Cameron Bancroft leads from the front after Gloucestershire's Australians touch down
Ollie Price and Cameron Bancroft both made centuries for Gloucestershire (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Canterbury (day one of four): Middlesex 222, Kent 172-6 - Kent trail by 50 runs with four wickets remaining
Kent fought to 172 for 6 on day one of their County Championship match with Middlesex at Canterbury, trailing by 50 at the close on a day when 16 wickets fell.
Jack Davies' unbeaten 47 was the highlight for Middlesex, as they scratched their way to 222 all out. Nathan Gilchrist took 3 for 43 and debutant Kashif Ali, occasionally wearing a Dennis Lillee-style headband, claimed 3 for 60, but Davies' ninth-wicket partnership of 63 with Blake Cullen was already looking crucial as Middlesex ran through Kent's top order.
England's Zak Crawley continued to struggle as he went for a fourth-ball duck, lbw to Toby Roland-Jones and Cullen took 3 for 51 to help reduce Kent to 79 for 6 before Harry Finch and Grant Stewart rallied the home side, finishing unbeaten on 49 and 46 respectively.
Old Trafford (day one of four): Northamptonshire 355-5, Lancashire
A superb century by Saif Zaib and a vital 92 from James Sales helped put Northamptonshire into the strong position of 355 for 5 against Lancashire after being put in to bat on the opening day of this County Championship Division Two match at Old Trafford.
It proved to be an excellent day with the bat for the visitors as Lancashire's attack, featuring West Indies' pace bowler Anderson Phillip for the first time this season along with loan signing John Turner, were made to work hard on a wicket not offering the bowlers much assistance.
Luke Procter made 64 and shared a century partnership for the third wicket with Sales during the first half of the day, and the latter then forged another excellent 97-run alliance with Saib Zaib for the fifth either side of tea.
Zaib reached his fourth first-class hundred from 149 balls just before the close, ending the day unbeaten on 111 after forging another good partnership of 99 with Lewis McManus (40 not out).
Related: Signs of Kent positivity on return home despite Middlesex fightback
Leicestershire went on the attack against Derbyshire (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Leicester (day one of four): Leicestershire 423-9, Derbyshire
Half centuries from Sol Budinger, Ian Holland, Peter Handscomb and Logan Van Beek helped Leicestershire reach a commanding 423 for 9 after Derbyshire had asked them to bat first on the first day of their County Championship match in Leicester.
The East Midlands rivals are both looking to build on winning starts to their Division Two campaigns. Derbyshire, who beat Gloucestershire at home last week, bowled well at times but found their errors punished ruthlessly by aggressive Leicestershire batting.
Leicestershire, victors at Glamorgan in the opening round, built partnerships right down the innings, with allrounder Van Beek, the Netherlands international making his debut, impressing at No.8. New Zealand's Blair Tickner took two wickets on his return to Derbyshire.
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