The Cricketer rounds up the day one incident from across the County Championship...
Jordan Clark took a hat-trick for Lancashire against Yorkshire
Lancashire’s Jordan Clark lit up an exhilarating first day of the Specsavers County Championship Roses clash with a remarkable morning hat-trick at Emirates Old Trafford, although Yorkshire ended it on top.
Seam bowling all-rounder Clark trapped current Test captains Joe Root (22) and Kane Williamson lbw before getting Jonny Bairstow caught at third slip to leave Yorkshire 59 for four just before lunch.
Between them, the trio have scored 14,639 Test runs and over 30,000 in first-class cricket.
Yorkshire were bowled out for 192 as 27-year-old Clark went on to claim a career best 5-58 from 12.1 overs and affect a run out in his follow through.
Nineteen wickets fell in the day as Lancashire crumbled to 109 all out in reply, with Yorkshire leading by 83.
Surrey strengthened their grip at the top of the Division One table with a dominant performance with both bat and ball on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
The unbeaten league leaders bowled the home county out for just 210 in only 54 overs and had then built a lead of 13 in the remainder of the day, thanks to their opening batsmen Rory Burns and Mark Stoneman.
A measure of Notts’ disappointment can be gauged from the fact that Harry Gurney, batting at No.11 in the order, top-scored with an unbeaten 29 for the hosts.
Morne Morkel did most of the damage, picking up 4-60. Jade Dernbach, Sam Curran and Rikki Clarke shared the remainder of the wickets.
Burns and Stoneman then put that score into context by rattling their way to an opening stand of 147 as Surrey reached 223 for one at stumps.
COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP TABLES
Steven Davies top-scored against his former county as Somerset twice fought back from testing situations on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship Division One clash with bottom placed Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
The wicket-keeper batsman hit a fluent 72 and there were also half centuries from Tom Abell and James Hildreth as Somerset recovered from 11 for two and then 115 for four to reach 324 for nine from 96 overs by the close.
England spinner Moeen Ali picked up three wickets on his return to Championship cricket.
Will Rhodes’ unbeaten half-century gave Division Two leaders Warwickshire the edge on the first day of of their clash with Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Nottingham-born left-hander made the most of being dropped on seven to pass 50 for the fourth time this season in the red-ball game.
His efforts steered the visitors to 152 for four after they had dismissed the hosts for 236.
Leicestershire’s Ned Eckersley took five catches and top-scored on an attritional but fascinating opening day of Specsavers County Championship cricket against title-chasing Kent in Canterbury.
On a day when 16 wickets fell, Leicestershire went in at stumps on 149 for six with Eckersley unbeaten with 45 as the Foxes, after skittling Kent for 104, garnered a precious 45-run lead to take into day two.
Gary Wilson made his highest score in the County Championship for 14 months as Derbyshire fought back against Northamptonshire on the opening day of the Division Two match at Chesterfield.
Wilson made 66 after Harvey Hosein with 58 started a recovery that lifted Derbyshire to 250 after Ben Sanderson had blown away the top order to finish with 5-53 from 20 overs.
Tony Palladino then took two wickets as Northants slipped to 74 for three on a day to remember for Derbyshire’s cricket and commercial operations manager Dan Wheeldon who marked his debut at the age of 29 with an unbeaten 33.
A maiden first class century from Ryan Higgins put Gloucestershire in a decent position on the opening day of the Specasavers County Championship match with Durham at Cheltenham.
The 23-year-old former Middlesex all-rounder was out in the last over of the day for 105 as his side ran up 315 for seven after winning the toss. Miles Hammond (51) and Gareth Roderick (67) were the other main contributors.
Chris Rushworth and Ben Stokes each claimed three of the wickets, Stokes beginning with a seven-over spell that brought him 2-10.
But Durham’s other England bowler Mark Wood was off the field having physiotherapy during the afternoon and, although he returned to the field, he bowled only six overs in the day.
Reports courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network
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