There was a good showing from England bowlers ahead of the Ashes on day one.
Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire
Derby
Close of play: Derbyshire 256, Nottinghamshire 28-0.
England bowler Stuart Broad took four wickets on day one to give Notts the advantage over newly promoted Derbyshire.
Broad’s figures of 4-57 helped reduce the home side to 75-6 at one point, but a solid batting performance from Shivnarine Chanderpaul helped avoid an embarrassing total.
Chanderpaul was brought in as an overseas player in the close season, but had yet to show his talent in the County Championship.
Yet as batsmen fell all around him the West Indian stood firm, putting on 96 runs with Jonathan Clare for the seventh wicket and finishing the day on 87 not-out.
Notts bowler Harry Gurney claimed four victims as well as he finished off the tail, whilst openers Ed Cowan and Alex Hales took the visitors to 28-0 in their first innings.
Durham v Yorkshire
Chester-le-Street
Close of play: Durham 237, Yorkshire 57-3.
Tim Bresnan put on a good show for Yorkshire to show England selectors why he should be in the Ashes squad, taking figures of 4-41.
Durham’s openers struggled once again and the home side didn’t really get going at any point in the day.
Will Smith and Dale Berkenstein did put on 86 runs for the third wicket but the hosts could only manage 237.
Phil Mustard top scored with 70 after they were reduced to 112-7, whilst in reply Joe Root finished on 30 not-out for the visitors.
The away team lost Andrew Gale for 25 from the last ball of the day to leave the tie in the balance – Durham’s Graham Onions also staking a claim for an England place with two wickets and a run-out.
Surrey v Sussex
The Oval
Close of play: Surrey 301-7.
It was another poor showing from South African captain Graeme Smith as he added to his two runs from the previous week with just three against Sussex.
Smith was dismissed by James Anyon for one of his three wickets of the day, before Gary Wilson came in and steadied the ship.
Wilson top scored with 124 and Surrey seemed to be cruising, with new boy Vikram Solanki making his first half century for the club.
Yet when Wilson was trapped lbw by Chris Jordan, the home side suffered a mini collapse and went from 247-3 to 277-7.
The batsman’s showing from No.3 was a touch of good fortune for the hosts after he was promoted from No.7 in the order when Arun Harinath injured his hand in the nets just before the match.
Gareth Batty and Chris Tremlett saw Surrey to the close without losing another wicket and will continue in the middle today.
All matches resume at 11.00 BST today.
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