The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round three of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Chelmsford (day one of four): Lancashire 146, Essex 68-1 - Essex trail by 78 runs with nine first-innings wickets in hand
Essex bowler Shane Snater rediscovered the form with the ball that deserted him last season to drive a massive hole in some fragile Lancashire batting on a rain-shortened day at Chelmsford.
The Zimbabwe-born Netherlands international blasted out the top three in the Lancashire order at a personal cost of one run before returning to add a fourth for figures of 4 for 42.
Snater took just eight expensive wickets in an injury-ravaged campaign last year, having taken a combined 67 in the two previous seasons. He now has 10 wickets in three Vitality County Championship matches this April.
He was ably supported by fellow seamer Sam Cook, who managed to marry both hostility and parsimony to finish with 3 for 18 from 14 overs, as Lancashire limped to 146 all out.
In 12 overs under the floodlights, Feroze Khushi refused to hang about with nine fours in a whirlwind 53 from 33 balls as Essex knocked 68 off the deficit for the loss of his wicket, caught in the slips off George Balderson.
Shane Snater picked up four wickets against Lancashire [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]
Southampton (day one of four): Warwickshire 340-4, Hampshire
Alex Davies continued his run-fuelled start to the County Championship season with an immense century as Warwickshire tyrannised Hampshire.
New Bears skipper Davies has already totted up 441 runs this season – over 60 per cent of the runs he managed in 2023 – with scores of 36, 256 and on this occasion 149 to lead from the front.
He was partnered with equally high-scoring Rob Yates and Will Rhodes – who are up to 286 and 323 runs this campaign after knocks of 69 and 81, respectively, at the Utilita Bowl.
Warwickshire ended day one on 340 for 4, with Liam Dawson's double and a wicket apiece for Kyle Abbott and Muhammad Abbas giving Hampshire minimal cheer.
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Canterbury (day one of four): Kent 111-3, Surrey
Daniel Bell-Drummond hit an elegant 70 as Kent reached 113 for 3 on day one of their County Championship meeting with Surrey at Canterbury.
The in-form Kent skipper put on a stand of exactly 100 for the third wicket with Jack Leaning, who was 30 not out at stumps, after rain wiped out all but 11 balls of the first two sessions at the Spitfire Ground.
Dan Worrall took 2 for 33 to reduce Kent to 8 for 2 in the sixth over, but Surrey went 30 overs without a wicket before Tom Lawes broke the partnership when he had Bell-Drummond lbw shortly before the close.
Craig Overton returned to action with figures of 3 for 57 [Harry Trump/Getty Images]
Taunton (day one of four): Nottinghamshire 193, Somerset 116-1 - Somerset trail by 77 runs with nine first-innings wickets in hand
Craig Overton signalled his return to form and fitness following winter back surgery as Somerset bowled out Nottinghamshire for 193 on the opening day of the County Championship Division One clash at Taunton.
The England allrounder claimed 3 for 57 from 18 impressive overs to help the hosts to maximum bowling points after losing the toss. Only Matt Montgomery (48) and Joe Clarke (39) could offer significant resistance on a bright, blustery day. There were two wickets each for Lewis Gregory and Migael Pretorius.
By the close, Somerset had replied with 116 for 1, Sean Dickson (70 not out) and Matt Renshaw (34) having produced an opening stand of 111.
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Kidderminster (day one of four): Durham 244, Worcestershire 78-4 - Worcestershire trail by 166 runs with six first-innings wickets in hand
Ollie Robinson spearheaded a powerful Durham response with the bat after Jason Holder had threatened to place Worcestershire in a position of strength on day one of the County Championship match at Chester Road.
The England Lions keeper was responsible for a partial recovery after Durham had subsided to 141 for 7 mid-way through the afternoon session.
Former West Indies captain Holder, who is available for the opening five Championship matches, had bowled an inspired spell of 8-2-26-3 to remove David Bedingham, Graham Clark and Paul Coughlin post lunch.
But Robinson went on the offensive to such an extent that his half century came up in only 41 balls with three sixes and five fours.
Ben Raine and Matthew Potts provided useful lower order support and then made early inroads with the ball but Jake Libby dug in for an unbeaten 35.
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