With a full programme of fixtures in Division One and Two, there was always scope for bucketloads of action on day one of the second round of the Championship. And it didn't disappoint...
DIVISION 1
Scorecard: Essex 150 v Lancashire 141-8
Scorecard: Yorkshire 256 v Nottinghamshire 54-4
Scorecard: Surrey 210 v Hampshire 52-3
Scorecard: Somerset 202 v Worcestershire 153-8
DIVISION 2
Scorecard: Durham 91 & 13-1 v Kent 169
Scorecard: Northamptonshire 146 v Warwickshire 113-3
Scorecard: Derbyshire 261 v Middlesex 45-3
Scorecard: Gloucestershire 236 v Glamorgan 26-0
Scorecard: Sussex 254-7 v Leicestershire
A RENSHAW THING
They say your overseas pro tends to do most of the heavy lifting. So credit to Australia’s Matt Renshaw who scored 101 of Somerset’s 202 all out. The 22-year-old’s eighth first class century, brought up from 137 balls, featuring 13 fours and one six, made him the first Somerset player to score a hundred on Championship debut since South African Alviro Petersen back in 2013.
What a moment here at the CACG as Matt Renshaw becomes the first player since @AlviroPetersen in 2013 to score a hundred on Somerset debut! #SOMvWORC #WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/JYCXgf96dU
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) April 20, 2018
PORTER & HARMER INCORPORATED
No, this is no law firm. It’s simply the stars of 2017 doing it all again in 2018. On the first day of a new season at Chelmsford, Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer combined for seven wickets to lead a fightback for defending Champions after they were skittled for 150 by Lancashire.
MATT EFFECT
Not wanting to be outdone was by his trans-Tasman rival, Blackcap quick Matt Henry pitched in with his eighth five-wicket haul, as Kent took the initiative up at Chester-le-Street. Henry’s five for 28 helped skittle Durham for 91 and, for the time being, takes him to the top of the wicket-taker charts. But he wasn't done there...
5 - @Matthenry014 has claimed 5 wickets in an innings for the 8th time in first-class cricket; he's now taken more wickets than anyone else this season in the @CountyChamp (12). Start. pic.twitter.com/FHXze0FjeJ
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) April 20, 2018
THE STUMPS ARE STILL TUMBLING
It might be the hottest day of the year, but batsmen today were given a rude reminder that we’re still in April. A total of 127 (!!!) wickets fell today, including a fair few cartwheeling stumps…
WICKETS! BOUNDARIES! SUN!
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 20, 2018
It's all going off in the County Champ, so head here for real-time clips: https://t.co/W7cbthuBqG pic.twitter.com/iGpBSBvZru
OH AIDEN...
No batsman likes getting a pair. But imagine getting a pair in a day?? Spare a thought for South African international Aiden Markram, who did just that on a day when 21 wickets fell at Chester-le-Street...
WICKET! Third ball duck and a pair on debut for Aiden Markram as Matt Henry claims his 6th wicket of the match & 13th of the season!
— Kent Cricket 🏏 (@kentcricket) April 20, 2018
Durham 0-1 & trail by 78.
Live scorecard & highlights: https://t.co/0dsgOP3ayK pic.twitter.com/NICBu7uChC
SHOT OF THE DAY
Rory Burns takes stock before his first day out in the middle as Surrey captain...