Dukes balls seemed to have lost much of their power overnight, with batters finding yesterday far more palatable than day one.

Essex built up an imposing lead against Lancashire at Chelmsford, led by Tom Westley, who played himself into form with 81. Chief irritant, though, was Sam Cook, who came in on Friday night as the nightwatcher, was dropped twice, and made his highest first-class score of 49. Lancashire’s bowlers plugged away, Nathan Lyon wheeling through 24 overs for his two wickets, but Essex closed with a 231-run first innings lead. Lancashire then lost Keaton Jennings, lbw to Jamie Porter, as they crawled along at one an over.

It was a slow-go day at the pastry-flat Rose Bowl, where the ball repeatedly went out of shape, and Warwickshire were finally dismissed for 455, with Liam Dawson collecting his 10th first-class five-wicket haul. In reply Hampshire’s Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins dawdled to half centuries apiece.

It was another dog day for Harry Brook and Joe Root as Yorkshire wobbled at Lord’s. Brook came in immediately after tea and was out first ball to Middlesex’s Ryan Higgins while Root, who had become becalmed in the 20s, was a third salmon in the net for Toby Roland-Jones. He grinned merrily as Root trudged away and a man in the stands in a woolly hat slowly chewed on his frozen crisps. Yorkshire gave themselves something to bowl at thanks to a half century from George Hill and some late biffing by the tail.

Nottinghamshire’s season continued to get stuck in the machinery of the blocks as Somerset ran up 454, a lead of 261, at Taunton. Tom Banton looked in sparkling form with his 83, helped by a useful forty from nightwatcher Josh Davey. But the final blows came from a blockbuster ninth-wicket partnership between Craig Overton and Migael Pretorius (77). Overton was stranded on 95 when the No 11, Shoaib Bashir, took a meaty and ill-advised slog on nought. Overton was so incensed, he charged off the field without acknowledging the crowd. As the sun started to drop, Notts then lost an early wicket.

A bubblegum century from David Bedingham, five sixes and 11 fours, powered Durham towards their first win of Division One. He and Scott Borthwick dealt runs as if they were buttons in a third-wicket partnership of 195 as Worcestershire’s bowlers searched for a breakthrough. By stumps the Durham lead was already 379, with five wickets remaining. Earlier, a half century from Jake Libby and 33 not out from Nathan Smith ensured Worcestershire avoided ignominy. There were three wickets each for Matthew Potts, Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin.

The Australian opening batter Marcus Harris danced to a double century at Derby, celebrating by splatting six down the ground. With power to add from the late middle order, Leicestershire finally declared on 574 for seven. Needing 425 to avoid the follow on, Derbyshire then collapsed in the early evening, losing four quick wickets. And Northamptonshire’s Ricardo Vasconcelos hit his first century for two years, tucking into Glamorgan’s bowlers with a dazzling 166. Earlier Mason Crane had celebrated his maiden first-class fifty to inch Glamorgan to a batting point.

Cheteshwar Pujara (75 not out) and Tom Alsop (84) ensured that Sussex didn’t falter in the face of Gloucestershire’s 417, on a pudding of a pitch at Hove, where both teams found it tricky to up the scoring rate. Gloucestershire’s last two wickets added 109 in the morning, as Ollie Robinson went wicketless from his 21 overs. And it was a long day for Kent who were bowled out for 244, then had to watch Surrey shimmy to 185 for one, Dom Sibley unbeaten, 13 short of his century.

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 377 v Lancashire 146 and 10-1

Southampton: Hampshire 140-1 v Warwickshire 455

Canterbury: Kent 244 v Surrey 185-1

Taunton: Somerset 454 v Nottinghamshire 193 and 38-1

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 184 v Durham 244 and 319-5

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire 54-4 v Leicestershire 574-5dec

Lord’s: Middlesex 246 v Yorkshire 159 and 216-7

Northampton: Northamptonshire 314-2 v Glamorgan 271

Hove: Sussex 267-7 v Gloucesterhire 417

Turned on the Yorkshire stream, there’s a man eating crisps in a woolly hat behind Toby Roland Jones’ left ear who looks so cold he can barely pull the salty snackresls out of the pack. TRJ in shirt sleeves though, ah, and now he has Root to add to his two wickets. Root goes to pull and top edges behind. Looks throughly cheesed off as he trudges off. Roland Jones can’t stop grinning. Yorks 83-5.

…and first ball after tea. Yorks in the stink, 59-4.

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 291-5 v Lancashire 146

Southampton: Hampshire 45-1 v Warwickshire 455

Canterbury: Kent 244 v Surrey 33-0

Taunton: Somerset 347-8 v Nottinghamshire 193

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 184 v Durham 244 and 108-2

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 452-5

Lord’s: Middlesex 246 v Yorkshire 159 and 59-3

Northampton: Northamptonshire 133-1 v Glamorgan 271

Hove: Sussex 138-2 v Gloucesterhire 417

As Finlay Bean goes for 29. Root unbeaten on 23. But not for 20 mins – as first they’ll take tea. Let’s look at the scores round the grounds.

Six and a half hours, 293 balls. Very nicely done. Here he is raising his bat looking quite like Mike from Neighbours. Leicestershire 416-4, as he slams a six down the ground.

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 182-1 v Lancashire 146

Southampton: Hampshire v Warwickshire 441-8

Canterbury: Kent 192-5 v Surrey

Taunton: Somerset 194-4 v Nottinghamshire 193

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 181-9 v Durham 244

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 309-3

Lord’s: Middlesex 212-8 v Yorkshire 159

Northampton: Northamptonshire 32-1 v Glamorgan 271

Hove: Sussex 25-1 v Gloucesterhire 417

In the party division; Gloucestershire have collected the extra batting point that Warwicks missed out on, thanks to a rollicking 45 not out from Zaman Akhter. GLos 409-9, three wickets for Danny Lamb.

And the second hundred of the round is duly collected by Marcus Harris, with a classy ondrive for four. Leics 233-3, and life a struggle for the Derbyshire bowlers.

Middlesex haven’t had the morning of their dreams, losing five wickets, but they are only six runs behind Yorkshire. Three wickets each for Coad and Thompson.

And Jack Carson takes the final, and his third, wicket at Hove , as Singh Dale is caught and bowled for 15. Gloucestershire 417 all out.

Starts today with all eight sides playing:

Birmingham: Central Sparks v The Blaze

Chester le Street: Northern Diamonds v Thunder

Beckenham: South East Stars v Vipers

Cardiff: Western Storm v Sunrisers

A reminder that the 2023 Champions were Southern Vipers, who lifted the trophy for the third time.

Sunshine!

and the Met office is positive: a mostly dry day with variable cloud and sunny intervals…average temperatures, but feeling warm in the sun.

A lovely obit of a fascinating figure.

Though the rain continued to fall around the country, the Dukes ball returned with a sparkle – taking 72 wickets in the day.

Nottinghamshire (193), Durham (244) and Yorkshire (159) were all bowled out by shortly after tea, Lancashire (146) following soon afterwards.

Harry Brook and Joe Root were two of five single-figure Yorkshire scores, both giving catching practice to the slip fielders against Middlesex at Lord’s. At Kidderminster, Durham’s Ollie Robinson did his England credentials no harm at all with a counter-attacking 55 against Worcestershire; while Sean Dickson and Matt Renshaw reduced Somerset’s deficit to 77 against Nottinghamshire.

It was only at Hampshire that batting really flourished, with Alex Davies, hot on the heels of his 256 last week, the sole centurion of the day. Davies was helped by half centuries from Will Rhodes and Rob Yates – Warwickshire one of only two sides to pick up a batting point. The other was Gloucestershire, who skipped along against Sussex, with half centuries for Miles Hammond, Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey.

In the other games, Lancashire lost their first eight wickets for 92 against Essex, courtesy of four quick wickets for Shane Snater and a first wicket for 19-year-old Noah Thain on his Championship debut. Feroze Khushi then hit a rapid 53 in reply. Glamorgan rebuilt from a dreadful start against Northamptonshire, thanks to an unbeaten 69 from Colin Ingram; while Derbyshire’s butterfingers alongside 77 from Marcus Harris helped Leicestershire along.

At Canterbury, Zac Crawley was dismissed for five before Daniel Bell-Drummond continued his excellent start to the season for Kent with 70 against Surrey. There, and at Wantage Road, the players stood for a minute’s silence in memory of Derek Underwood and England, Northants and Surrey cricketer and administrator Raman Subba Row, who died this week aged 92.

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 68-1 v Lancashire 146

Southampton: Hampshire v Warwickshire 340-4

Canterbury: Kent 111-3 v Surrey rain

Taunton: Somerset 116-1 v Nottinghamshire 193

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 78-4 v Durham 244

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 168-2

Lord’s: Middlesex 84-2 v Yorkshire 159

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Glamorgan 203-7

Hove: Sussex v Gloucesterhire 319-8

Good morning and welcome to day two of this third round of matches! Come on in, the water’s lovely.