CHAMPIONSHIP DIGEST: Summaries of all Wednesday's action around the counties

The Cricketer sums up the action from across the County Championship on the first day of the current round of matches

^{Keith Barker of Warwickshire claims a Kent wicket}

Division One

Nottinghamshire vs Essex 

Ross Taylor collected his first Specsavers County Championship century for Nottinghamshire as champions Essex toiled in the humid conditions at batsman-friendly Chelmsford.

The New Zealander, who has joined for the first half of the summer, and is playing his penultimate red-ball game for the county, guided Notts into a dominant position with a 208-ball 146 on day one of the match between the sides currently in third and fourth positions.

The 25th first-class century of the 34-year-old Taylor’s career – incredibly only the eighth away from the Test arena – took four and three-quarter hours and included 23 fours. Notts finished on 311 for six.

Surrey vs Somerset

Surrey’s top four built a solid platform as Somerset were left to regret their decision to bowl first in the top of the table Specsavers County Championship clash at Guildford.

Rory Burns (66) and Scott Borthwick (83) made half-centuries and Arun Harinath and Ryan Patel both contributed 48 before Ollie Pope hit an undefeated 73 as Surrey closed on 351 for five.

Cloud cover and a green-tinged pitch encouraged Somerset to bowl first and their seam attack kept plugging away in steamy heat. On another day they would have enjoyed more success as the ball frequently beat the bat.

But there was little to encourage their two England spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach, who was back in their side five weeks after breaking his thumb, although Bess did have Surrey debutant Theunis de Bruyn caught at short cover for a third-ball duck. Leach bowled just four overs while Bess finished with 1-27 from 13.

Worcestershire vs Lancashire

A late surge of wickets by Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard turned the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Lancashire at Blackfinch New Road on its head.

Lancashire’s Australian paceman Joe Mennie had ripped through the middle order as bottom placed Worcestershire were bowled out for 247 in 63.5 overs despite a fine century from Daryl Mitchell.

But four wickets in 16 balls by Barnard saw Lancashire nose-dive from a comfortable 77 without loss to 86 for five by the close.

Hampshire vs Yorkshire

Gary Ballance seemed to allayed fears of batting against the pink ball by scoring his first Specsavers County Championship century of the
season.

Ballance, who is colour-blind, had previously struggled to pick up the different coloured ball against the white sightscreen, but looked
comfortable in his 109 as Yorkshire closed day one on 315 for seven after choosing to bat first.

Division Two

Sussex vs Durham

It was late on Tuesday evening when Sussex academy graduate Tom Hains received the unexpected call to play against Durham in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Durham.

He had played only two championship matches before, both in 2016, when he scored 12 runs in three innings, so he must have felt he was making his debut all over again.  

But the 19-year-old left-hander – called in to replace England Lions call-up Chris Jordan -  responded by scoring a memorable maiden first-class century at Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, featuring in a record second wicket stand of 244 in 54 overs with Phil Salt as Sussex piled up 439 for five.

Salt also scored his maiden century at this level as the pair celebrated beating the previous record second wicket stand against Durham of 196 between Bill Athey and Alan Wells at Hove in 1996.

Kent vs Warwickshire

Twenty wickets fell on a highly dramatic opening day at Tunbridge Wells, with Specsavers County Championship Division Two leaders Warwickshire dismissing second-placed Kent for 197 before themselves crumbling to 125 in reply after tea.

In two overs’ batting before the close, Kent made four without loss in their second innings and lead overall by 76.

Leicestershire vs Middlesex

An outstanding unbeaten 151 from Colin Ackermann, his second century in the championship this season, left Leicestershire in a strong position at the end of the first day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Middlesex at the Fischer County Ground.

The South African, playing with a protective cast on a finger in his right hand, reached 100 with a huge six over midwicket off left-arm spinner Ravi Patel, and reached 150 off the final ball of the day. It was a vital knock for the Foxes, who had struggled after captain Paul Horton won the toss and chose to bat first under cloudy skies. The finished on 353 for eight.

Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire

Ben Duckett, Luke Procter and Richard Levi all made half-centuries as Northamptonshire made 282 against Gloucestershire on the opening day of the pink-ball Specsavers County Championship match at Wantage Road. 

After being bowled out with 13 overs left in the day, Northants swung the new ball around as the floodlights took effect and struck in the final over of the day with Steven Crook trapping Chris Dent lbw for 11 and Gloucestershire closed 25 for one.

Reports courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network