Find out what happened across the LV= Insurance County Championship as the divisional stage got underway
Division One
Hampshire v Yorkshire
Southampton (first day of four): Yorkshire 197-6
Kyle Abbott continued his fine red-ball season for Hampshire by taking three wickets on the first day of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division One match against Yorkshire.
They enjoyed the better of an overcast Wednesday at the Ageas Bowl, with none of Yorkshire's top order able to pass fifty despite starts for George Hill, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Gary Ballance and Harry Brook.
Dom Bess did well to withstand the bowling to be unbeaten on 45 at stumps.
Lancashire v Warwickshire
Emirates Old Trafford (first day of four): Warwickshire 259-3
Chris Benjamin made a hundred on his Championship debut and Sam Hain hit his first century in red-ball cricket for over two years as Warwickshire dominated the first day of their Division One game against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.
The third-wicket pair shared a partnership of 237 and though Benjamin fell to Saqib Mahmood for 127 the visitors were still well placed on 259 for 3 when bad light ended play nine overs early with Hain unbeaten on 113.
Somerset v Nottinghamshire
Taunton (first day of four): Nottinghamshire 282-6
Joe Clarke led the way with a half-century as Notts gained the first day honours in the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.
The visitors ran up 282 for 6 after losing the toss, Clarke making 59 and Liam Patterson-White contributing a belligerent 46 not out.
There were two wickets each Jack Brooks and Tom Abell as a depleted Somerset seam attack stuck to their task and kept a grip on the scoring rate.
By the time bad light ended play for the day 7.2 overs early, Patterson-White and Tom Moores (26 not out) had added 74 precious runs for the seventh wicket.
Middlesex's Robbie White recorded his maiden first-class hundred
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Division Two
Glamorgan v Essex
Sophia Gardens (first day of four): Glamorgan 134, Essex 92-2 - Essex trail by 42 runs with eight first-innings wickets remaining
Dan Lawrence got some useful red ball cricket practice before heading to The Oval later this week to join up with the England squad as he helped steer Essex into a commanding position on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two match at Sophia Gardens.
Returning to the venue where they had been beaten by five wickets by Glamorgan in the semi-final of the Royal London Cup, Essex reduced the home side to 59 for 6 by lunch and got them all out for 134.
Lawrence, named in the England squad for the fourth Test against India on Thursday, enjoyed an unbeaten partnership of 51 for the third wicket after the visitors had lost Alastair Cook and skipper Tom Westley early in their first innings reply.
Lawrence, hoping for an international recall following the withdrawal of Joss Buttler for this week’s game, batted steadily for his 29 off 78 balls in 104 minutes at the crease. When bad light ended play 10 minutes early, Essex were only 42 ruins behind with eight wickets in hand at 92 for 2.
Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire
Bristol (first day of four): Northamptonshire 232-5
Adam Rossington’s unbeaten 66 rescued Northamptonshire as the LV= Insurance Championship returned on a grey, cool day at Bristol with the visitors making 232 for 5 having lost the toss.
Northants were reduced to 147 for 5 before captain Rossington made his fourth half century of the summer.
He and Harry Goldstone, who made 32 not out, took the visitors to an early close in steady shape, with 25 overs chalked off the day due to bad light.
Jack Carson led a lower-order revival for a young Sussex team
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Division Three
Middlesex v Derbyshire
Lord's (first day of four): Middlesex 218-5
Robbie White struck his maiden first-class century to rescue Middlesex from a disastrous start against Derbyshire on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Three clash.
The Seaxes stumbled to 14 for 3 – all lbw – after opting to bat at Lord’s as Derbyshire seamers Sam Conners and Luis Reece made the most of the early movement in overcast conditions.
But White, who had previously passed 50 six times without registering a ton – including 99 against Kent last year – finally achieved that landmark as he led Middlesex’s fightback, hitting an unbeaten 101 to lift them to 218 for 5.
The 25-year-old shared a century stand with Martin Andersson, whose 53 was his highest score of the season, while John Simpson was undefeated on 29 when bad light brought play to a premature close.
Leicestershire v Kent
Leicester (first day of four): Kent 232, Leicestershire 66-5 - Leicestershire trail by 166 runs with five first-innings wickets in hand
A last wicket partnership of 68 helped Kent recover from 116-7 before the visitors picked up five wickets in the final session to finish firmly on top after an entertaining first day of the LV Insurance County Championship fixture at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.
Kent's score, which looked no more than competitive originally, looked positively formidable by the close. Sam Evans was caught by Leaning at third slip after chasing a widish delivery from Matt Milnes before Grant Stewart took the key wicket of Colin Ackermann with a fine delivery which moved away just enough to take the edge.
In gloomy light Stewart followed by bowling Lewis Hill off the inside edge, Darren Stevens had Hassan Azad caught behind and left-arm spinner James Logan capped off the day by having Harry Swindells leg before with his first delivery.
Worcestershire v Sussex
Worcester (first day of four): Sussex 254-9
Jack Carson hit a career best 81 not out to lead a strong fightback by the lower Sussex order on day one of the LV= Insurance County Championship Division Three match with Worcestershire at New Road.
Carson came to the wicket at 138 for 7 and struck four sixes and nine fours to help Sussex recover to 254 for 9 from 79.4 overs when bad light halted play for the day.
He received excellent support from Dan Ibrahim and Henry Crocombe in stands of 45 and 66 to shepherd the visitors to two batting points.
Carson profited from being caught by Worcestershire keeper Ben Cox off a no ball by Ed Barnard when he had made only two.
Worcestershire club captain Joe Leach returned his best figures of the campaign – 4 for 67 from 21 overs – as Sussex were reduced to 97 for 6 at one stage but then came the Carson rescue act.
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