The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round 14 of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Kia Oval (day one of four): Durham 262, Surrey 52-0 - Surrey are 210 runs behind with 10 first-innings wickets remaining
Durham battled hard to reach 262 all out at the Kia Oval but it was still Surrey who had the better of day one as they seek a third successive County Championship title.
Colin Ackermann’s unbeaten 78 was a particularly creditable effort but the 33-year-old was left stranded as Dan Worrall snatched two quick wickets with the second new ball and finished with figures of 4 for 39.
In 12 overs' batting before the close, Surrey then raced to 52 without loss in late afternoon sunshine with Rory Burns completing 1,000 championship runs for the season as he tucked into some loose new ball bowling to pull a six and also hit seven fours in a 46-ball 40 not out.
Related: Surrey stay patient and allow Durham to fall into their trap
Nick Gubbins helped himself to a third Championship hundred of the season (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Utilita Bowl (day one of four): Hampshire 373-4, Worcestershire
Nick Gubbins and Liam Dawson collected their third County Championship centuries of the season as Hampshire piled on the runs during the opening day of their clash with Worcestershire.
Left-handed batter Gubbins demonstrated immense control in his 153 to pass his highest score for Hampshire – after arriving from Middlesex in 2021.
He put on 129 with half-century maker James Vince and Liam Dawson – who also passed 10,000 first-class runs.
Hampshire are mathematically still in the title race – starting the round 27 points adrift of Surrey – and ended the day on 373 for 4.
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Canterbury (day one of four): Nottinghamshire 393-6, Kent
Nottinghamshire took a hefty stride towards safety in Division One of the Vitality County Championship by reaching 393 for 6 at stumps after a dominant first day against Kent at Canterbury.
Openers Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed demoralised the division’s basement side with a stand of 196 for the first wicket: Slater made 160 from 217 balls, with 22 fours, while Hameed made a more pedestrian 56 from 142.
Jack Haynes then inflicted further punishment with 62 and Nottinghamshire, who began the day in eighth, were aided by a total of 37 extras, 30 of which came from no balls.
Ben Slater made Kent's bowlers pay at Canterbury (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Related: The ever-reliable Craig Overton stands up for Somerset again
Old Trafford (day one of four): Lancashire 140 & 16-1, Somerset 146 - Lancashire lead by 10 runs with nine second-innings wickets remaining
Twenty-one wickets fell on the first day of the County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford where title-chasing Somerset earned just a six-run first-innings lead over Lancashire, who probably need to win this game to avoid relegation.
Replying to Lancashire’s 140 on a seam bowler’s pitch, Somerset made only 146 but then took the vital wicket of Keaton Jennings for four as the home side ended a bizarre day on 16 for 1, giving them a lead of 10 runs.
In the first three hours of play, Lancashire were dismissed for 140 in 40 overs with Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory picking up four wickets apiece and the only substantial resistance being offered by the home side’s skipper, Jennings, who made 56.
However, Lancashire's seamers operated just as effectively, George Balderson taking 4 for 50 and Tom Bailey 4 for 37 as Somerset took a seemingly paltry lead.
Shane Snater led an Essex bowling masterclass at Edgbaston (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Related: County Championship 2024: All the permutations ahead of the final two rounds
Edgbaston (day one of four): Warwickshire 78, Essex 189-9 - Essex lead by 111 runs with one first-innings wicket remaining
Essex’s seamers bowled Warwickshire out for just 78 to take immediate control of their Vitality County Championship match at Edgbaston.
Put in on a bowler-friendly track, the home side was skittled in 27.4 overs by Shane Snater (5 for 13), Jamie Porter (3 for 15) and Sam Cook (2 for 31). Sustained resistance came only from Will Rhodes (29, 60) on his last home appearance before joining Durham.
Essex then dipped to 50 for 5 but recovered to close the opening day on 189 for 9 thanks to astute contributions from Michael Pepper (37, 62 balls), Snater (33 not out, 37) Matt Critchley (32, 82) and Simon Harmer (31, 64). Ed Barnard took 3 for 36 and Craig Miles 3 for 53 but a lead of 111 already looks decisive.
Essex have laid the platform for a second successive emphatic win while Warwickshire's supporters digest one last moderate instalment of a deeply uninspiring home championship campaign.
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