The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round seven of the Vitality County Championship in 2024, where just one game remained in Division Two
Derby (day one of four): Derbyshire, Northamptonshire 297-5
George Bartlett and Rob Keogh led a solid Northamptonshire batting display on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Derby.
The pair both scored half centuries and added 124 for the fifth wicket to get the innings back on track after Anuj Dal struck twice to reduce Northants to 121 for 4.
Ricardo Vasconcelos (53) and Emilio Gay (45) shared an opening stand of 99 but it was Bartlett's 76 and Keogh's unbeaten 75 that gave Northants the advantage, closing on 297 for 5.
Related: "We'd rather die than go to Notts": A day in the stands with Derbyshire's hardcore fans
Marnus Labuschagne was back for Glamorgan (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Cardiff (day one of four): Glamorgan 183, Middlesex 62-0 - Middlesex trail by 121 runs with 10 wickets remaining
Middlesex took charge of their Vitality County Championship match against Glamorgan in Cardiff, finishing the day on 62 without loss having bowled out the hosts for 183.
It was Tom Helm who was the most impressive of the bowlers, claiming 4 for 44 as Middlesex made the most of the decision to bowl first. He was well supported by Ethan Bamber, Toby Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins who chipped in with wickets.
The top scorer for Glamorgan was Zain ul Hassan who made 34 after the top order had been removed by the Middlesex seamers.
Middlesex batted for 21 overs at the end of the day and were 122 runs behind Glamorgan's first innings total at the close.
***
Grace Road (day one of four): Leicestershire, Gloucestershire 385-2
A record-breaking opening partnership between Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth saw Gloucestershire dominate the opening day of their Division Two Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.
The pair put on 316 after the visitors were put into bat by Foxes skipper Lewis Hill, beating the previous record opening partnership made against Leicestershire in first-class cricket, the 315 put on by Herbert Sutcliffe and Len Hutton for Yorkshire in 1937.
Bancroft's 160 was his second century in as many innings, and his 28th in first-class cricket. Charlesworth's 126, which included ten fours and six sixes, was his maiden three figure score. Both had a moment of fortune, Bancroft when he was dropped at slip off the bowling of Rehan Ahmed when on 84, and Charlesworth when his middle stump was uprooted by a Josh Hull no-ball on 58.
Joe Root was in the runs for Yorkshire (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Related: Joe Root delivers valuable knock ahead of schedule as Sussex and Yorkshire trade blows
Hove (day one of four): Sussex 150,Yorkshire 176-7 - Yorkshire lead by 26 runs with three wickets remaining
Seventeen wickets fell on the first day at Hove as second division leaders Sussex hit back after they were bowled out for 150 by Yorkshire in the Vitality County Championship.
Joe Root showed his class with 67 but no one else made more than Sussex’s top scorer James Coles (38). Yorkshire were 176 for 7 at stumps and how much they can add to their lead of 26 will be crucial to their efforts of securing a first victory of the season.
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.