The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round 12 of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Cardiff (day one of four): Leicestershire 251, Glamorgan 114-2- Glamorgan are 137 runs behind with eight first-innings wickets remaining
Timm van der Gugten was the pick of the Glamorgan bowling, grabbing the first four Leicestershire wickets to fall, while Dan Douthwaite also chipped in with four wickets to justify the decision to bowl first.
Leicestershire fast bowler Chris Wright made his first-class return from a drugs ban to help his side to a batting bonus point, his side recovering to 251 all out on the hybrid, partially synthetic, pitch in Cardiff.
Wright, who was banned for nine months but found not be at fault after a banned substance was contained in a fruit supplement, combined with debutant Sam Wood and Tom Scriven as the last two wickets added 75 runs.
Glamorgan lost both openers early in reply, but moved onto 114 for 2 at the close with Colin Ingram, 63 not out, and Kiran Carlson, 42 not out, putting on an unbroken partnership of 87 to put their side in the driving seat.
Sussex piled on the runs, less than a week on from defeat to Yorkshire (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Headingley (day one of four): Yorkshire 372-5, Middlesex
England's Jonny Bairstow scored his first first-class century in a little over two years as Yorkshire had much the better of the opening day of their County Championship promotion battle with Middlesex at Headingley.
Bairstow, 34, has struggled for form of late and, within the last two months, has been dropped from all England sides. But he refuses to be written off, as this excellent 107 not out off 130 balls suggests.
He underpinned Yorkshire's 372 for 5 from 96 overs and was supported by half-centuries for Adam Lyth and George Hill. Impressive Luke Hollman returned 3 for 99 from 27 overs of leg-spin.
Yorkshire started this game, the 11th of 14, in third place in Division Two - three points behind Middlesex in second. Both won their respective fixtures last week.
Related: Sussex pile on the runs to reignite title charge
Related: Kookaburra ball returns for next two County Championship rounds
Colin Ingram eased Glamorgan into a solid position in Cardiff (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Hove (day one of four): Sussex 391-4, Derbyshire
Australian Daniel Hughes made 144 as second division leaders Sussex established a strong position after day one against Derbyshire at Hove.
Derbyshire elected to bowl first then saw Hughes and Tom Haines put on 196 in just 36 overs. Haines made 72 and after Hughes departed Tom Alsop hit an unbeaten 69 as Sussex closed on 391 for 4.
It was just the response they would have wanted after losing only their second game of the season to promotion rivals Yorkshire last week.
They began the game six points clear of second-placed Middlesex and nine ahead of Yorkshire, who are playing each other at Headingley, but three of their remaining four matches are at the 1st Central County Ground where they won three out of four this season and know the conditions well.
Related: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire: County Championship clash at Bristol abandoned
***
Bristol (day one of four): Gloucestershire 125, Northamptonshire 116-2 - Match abandoned
The Vitality County Championship Second Division match between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire was abandoned owing to concerns from the umpires over player safety on a hybrid pitch.
Umpires Chris Watts and Sue Redfern called a halt early on in the final session after Northants batsmen Ricardo Vasconcelos and Rob Keogh had been struck blows on the hand by Gloucestershire paceman Ajeet Singh Dale and retired hurt.
Northants were 116-2 in reply to Gloucestershire's 125 when the contest was abandoned at 5pm, the umpires consulting with both captains before leading the players from the pitch and then holding a consultation with groundstaff to explain their decision.
Watts and Redfern then talked with match referee Jason Swift before contacting ECB pitch inspectors at Lord's to seek advice. The decision was then taken to abandon the match.
Join The Cricketer's brand new Whatsapp channel for the latest breaking news, comment and features - click here to become a member
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.