The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round 11 of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Northwood (day one of four): Northamptonshire 167-7, Middlesex
Toby Roland-Jones led the hunt for wickets as Middlesex had the better of a rain-affected opening day against Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors' School.
The Seaxes skipper, Middlesex's leading red-ball wicket-taker this season in this his benefit year, made good on his decision to bowl first under murky skies, returning 3 for 34.
Tom Helm, who produced a fiery opening burst, backed up his skipper with 2 for 41 as the visitors struggled to 167 for 7 in the 44.4 overs played.
Emilio Gay with 42 provided the chief resistance for Northamptonshire, who gave a debut to seamer Dominic Leech, who joined on loan this week from Yorkshire ahead of starting a three-year contract at Wantage Road next season.
Scarborough (day one of four): Sussex 187-9, Yorkshire
Yorkshire enjoyed the better of a hard-fought opening day of their Vitality County Championship promotion battle with Division Two leaders Sussex at Scarborough, though potentially not by much.
Sussex came into this 10th round Division Two affair top of the table with six wins and Yorkshire third with two. The gap between the two sides was 27 points, and both have high hopes of playing top-flight cricket next season.
Sussex, invited to bat in challenging conditions, battled hard to reach close at 187 for 9 from 72 overs, including half centuries for left-handers Daniel Hughes and Tom Alsop, who top-scored with 84 not out off 184 balls.
They had to recover from 14 for 2 during the early stages of the afternoon after rain had limited the morning session to only four overs. Matthew Revis’s seam accounted for three wickets.
Although the day was shortened by 24 overs due to rain at the start and bad light at the end, the play was intriguing, and it would be absolutely no surprise if Sussex's total turns out to be a competitive one.
Toby Roland-Jones was in the wickets for Middlesex (Warren Little/Getty Images)
Derby (day one of four): Glamorgan 168, Derbyshire 119-2 - Derbyshire trail by 49 runs with eight wickets remaining
Zak Chappell lifted Derbyshire's hopes of securing an elusive County Championship victory at Derby by demolishing Glamorgan on the opening day of the Division Two match.
The fast bowler took 6 for 47, his best figures for the county, as the visitors were bowled out for 168 with Timm van der Gugten top scoring with an unbeaten 46.
Glamorgan were 32 for 6 before Dan Douthwaite, 36, and van der Gugten led a mini recovery, but Derbyshire closed on 119 for 2 with Harry Came not out on 58.
It leaves them in a strong position to push for a first Championship victory at the County Ground since they beat Sussex in August 2019.
Bristol (day one of four): Leicestershire 291-7, Gloucestershire
Ian Holland's fifth first-class century helped Leicestershire achieve a respectable position on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.
The 33-year-old opener hit 104 off 173 balls, with 15 fours and a six, receiving good support from Rehan Ahmed (60) and Rishi Patel (47) as the visitors ran up 291 for 7 from 67 overs after losing the toss.
Marchant de Lange (2 for 58) and Zaman Akhter (2 for 86) were the most successful of a five-man Gloucestershire seam attack, none of whom could find much assistance from a green, but slow pitch.
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