Bowlers felt the benefit of damp and rainy conditions as wickets tumbled on the opening day of the fifth round of the County Championship.
Hampshire (79), Essex (99), Sussex (106) and Middlesex (210) were all bowled out before close of play as batsmen were made to look rather foolish with dark clouds overhead.
There was also a first wicket of the summer for England and Lancashire paceman James Anderson, who removed Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne in one of the day’s many rain-affected fixtures.
Group One
Last time out Nottinghamshire emphatically beat Derbyshire to record their first County Championship win since June 2018.
And it looks like Notts may have found a winning formula as they dominated Essex thanks to career-best bowling figures from Luke Fletcher.
Fletcher took 6-24 as Essex were bowled out for just 99 following a lower-order collapse after lunch.
In reply, Nottinghamshire reached stumps at 188-4, a lead of 89 runs with Steven Mullaney top-scoring with 63 not out.
In the group’s other game few would have argued with Worcestershire captain Joe Leach’s decision to put leaders Warwickshire into bat after winning the toss at Edgbaston.
His plan looked to have backfired as the hosts built their innings around promising opener Rob Yates’ 104 – his second century of the summer.
But the 21-year-old then tickled behind a Brett D’Oliveira delivery after tea and two more late dismissals left the game evenly poised on 271-7 at stumps.
Group Two
There were also plenty of wickets to fall in Group Two as Somerset bowled out Hampshire for just 79 in Southampton.
Lewis Gregory (4-26) led the charge as the hosts collapsed in their first innings for the second game running.
In response, Somerset lost both openers early to slip to 11-2, but captain Tom Abell dug in.
He finished unbeaten on 52, guiding his side to 142-5, a lead of 63.
Meanwhile, leaders Gloucestershire hardly put a foot wrong against struggling Middlesex, skittling the Londoners for 210.
Spare a thought though for Middlesex’s Robbie White. Still yet to better his top score of 99, White dragged his side past the 200 mark and was eventually left stranded on 76 not out.
In reply, Gloucestershire closed on 19-1, with Chris Dent run out after a horrendous mix-up with Kraigg Brathwaite.
Winless Leicestershire are currently bottom of Group Two, but they took control of their match with Surrey, closing on 306-6.
Sam Evans scored his third County Championship century in as many matches for the Foxes and put on 195 for the second wicket with Australian Test batsman Marcus Harris, who also reached a first Championship ton.
The fixture is far from over though as Surrey fought back with five wickets after tea.
England hopeful Amar Virdi removed both centurions, taking his 100th first-class scalp in the process.
Group Three
And the ball was also dominant in Group Three as 15 wickets fell in Northamptonshire’s match with Sussex.
Northants look set for a substantial first-innings lead as Gareth Berg (5-18) and Ben Sanderson (5-28) ripped Sussex apart, reducing the visitors to 25-7.
Ollie Robinson (49 not out) led a recovery to 106 all out, before taking four wickets with the ball as the hosts reached 214-5 at stumps.
Elsewhere, England batsman Zak Crawley made 90 for Kent before Yorkshire’s bowlers countered at Emerald Headingley.
Crawley was on for a sixth first-class century when he mis-timed Steven Patterson to Joe Root at cover.
Kent were well set at 206-4, but Jack Leaning (47), Ollie Robinson (38) and Darren Stevens all fell quickly to leave them on 224-7 at the close.
And finally, England paceman Jimmy Anderson won the headline battle as he had Australian star Marnus Labuschagne caught behind for just 12 in their first ever duel.
Just 39 overs were bowled as Lancashire took on Glamorgan on a grey and blustery day at Emirates Old Trafford.
An aggressive 78 from David Lloyd helped Glamorgan to 117-3 between the showers.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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