The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round three of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Derby (day one of four): Leicestershire 168-2, Derbyshire
Australian opener Marcus Harris underpinned Leicestershire on a day when Derbyshire fluffed their lines in the Vitality County Championship match at Derby.
Harris kept his concentration through lengthy rain delays to score an unbeaten 77 from 147 balls but was dropped twice after Derbyshire elected to bowl first on a chilly opening day at the County Ground.
Derbyshire also put down Rishi Patel who made 36 before he was bowled by New Zealand fast bowler Blair Tickner, who was the pick of the attack.
Although 50 overs were lost, Leicestershire made good progress and closed on 168 for 2, with skipper Lewis Hill not out 34.
Joe Root and Harry Brook both departed for single-figure knocks [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]
Lord's (day one of four): Yorkshire 159, Middlesex 84-2 - Middlesex trail by 75 runs with eight first-innings wickets remaining
England duo Joe Root and Harry Brook both failed with the bat for Yorkshire as Middlesex took control by bowling the visitors out for 159 on the opening day of their County Championship clash at Lord’s.
Root made only five before he fell to Tom Helm, while Brook – who averaged 97 in his three previous innings for the White Rose this season – was caught in the slips off Ethan Bamber for three.
Middlesex's Ryan Higgins finished with 4 for 31, with Toby Roland-Jones taking 3 for 49 to dismiss their opponents in just 37.4 overs on a rain-shortened first day.
Jordan Thompson and Mickey Edwards struck back with a wicket apiece in the Seaxes’ reply, but Mark Stoneman and Leus du Plooy shared an unbroken partnership of 47 to guide them to 84 for 2 at stumps.
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Northampton (day one of four): Glamorgan 203-7, Northamptonshire
Evergreen seamer Ben Sanderson led the charge with three wickets as Northamptonshire's attack made the most of having a new Dukes ball back in their hands on the opening day of this County Championship clash at Wantage Road.
But despite slumping to 27 for 4 after 10.4 overs, Colin Ingram led Glamorgan's fightback with an unbeaten 69 off 110 balls (seven fours, one six). He steered the visitors to 203 for 7 at the close, with honours just about even on the first evening.
Looking solid in defence, Ingram played some crisp attacking shots, as he rebuilt, first in a partnership of 69 in 18.3 overs with Chris Cooke (28). Despite losing Cooke after tea, the in-form Ingram pushed on, passing a second consecutive half-century of the season to go with a century in his opening game. He found another willing partner in Dan Douthwaite, whose bustling 50 came off just 63 balls in a sixth wicket stand worth 74 off 102 balls.
Colin Ingram led Glamorgan's fightback [David Rogers/Getty Images]
Hove (day one of four): Gloucestershire 319-8, Sussex
James Bracey continued his good start to the County Championship season with 69 before Sussex claimed two late wickets to ensure day one honours ended even at Hove.
The left-handed Bracey, who made 102 against Yorkshire earlier this week, was one of three batters to score fifties without going on before Sussex took two wickets with the second new ball as Gloucestershire reached 319 for 8 when play ended just after 7.15pm.
Ben Charlesworth and Miles Hammond had earlier shared a stand of 104 for the third wicket but both were dismissed in successive overs.
Sussex will feel reasonably satisfied. The run rate never got above four an over despite a temptingly short scoreboard-side boundary and their attack kept plugging away on a sluggish pitch. Danny Lamb was the pick of the seamers and took two wickets during an excellent pre-lunch spell while off-spinner Jack Carson picked up two wickets after being introduced in the 46th over.
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