Key stories from Round 1 of the LV= Insurance County Championship

Northamptonshire 434 drew with Kent 455 & 42/1
Essex 490/9d & 28/1 drew with Worcestershire 475
Lancashire 407 drew with Sussex 301 & 103/2
Middlesex 313 & 143 lost to Somerset 172 & 285/6 by 4 wickets
Leicestershire 202 & 305 lost to Hampshire 612/5d by an innings and 105 runs
Gloucestershire 326 & 229/2 beat Surrey 220 & 333 by 8 wickets
Nottinghamshire 257 & 298/5 drew with Durham 330 & 332/4d
Yorkshire 193 & 223/4 drew with Glamorgan 330 & 241/4d
Warwickshire 221 & 7/0 drew with Derbyshire 189 & 244

Somerset shine at Lord's

In a statement-making win at the Home of Cricket, Somerset fought back from 89/9 in the first innings, after hosts Middlesex had already made 313, to claim victory by 4 wickets. It was the kind of result that'll remind their rivals of the grit and determination Somerset possess, alongside a skilful array of batsman and bowlers. In the end it was a straight forward chase, skipper Tom Abell (84) anchoring the initial charge, before George Bartlett (76 no) and Lewis Gregory (62no) saw them home.

Glos Effect

Hurtling towards a draw, with inclement weather posing a further threat to result hopes, Gloucestershire duo Chris Dent (91no) and Graeme van Buuren (110no) went hell for leather, smashing 193 runs in a little under 30 overs, to record a remarkable win over Surrey. Victory only looked possible after picking up the final five Surrey wickets for 15 runs in the afternoon, Ben Foakes' century previously putting a damper on any belief of getting over the line.

Vince Charming

A monumental first innings score of 612/5d, built on the back of James Vince's mammoth double century, saw Hampshire romp home to an innings victory at Leicestershire. Ably helped by centuries from Tom Alsop and Liam Dawson, the visitors became the first team to win in 2021.

The Root cause

A day after #NationalSiblingDay and brother Joe and Billy Root battled it out at Headingley like so many times before in the back garden. On this occasion it was younger sibling Billy who came out on top, reaching his century off the bowling of Joe, to make getting to three-figures all the more sweeter.

Snow Go Area

It wouldn't be the start of the county cricket season without a bit of temperamental weather. Snow fell at Yorkshire, Lancashire and Northamptonshire over the course of the opening round, Headingley receiving by far the heaviest deluge, forcing day 3 to finish early.