The second round of County Championship matches got underway on Friday with live updates from grounds including Essex v Somerset and Surrey v Leicestershire, along with other fixtures around the country.
There was an early wicket at Old Trafford, though the press box briefly had other distractions when a frozen television delayed the view of the action. Luke Wells was well caught by the diving third slip fielder, moving to his left, off Ben Aitchison for four runs. The dismissal brought Josh Bohannon to the crease for his 100th first-class match.
Elsewhere, Haseeb Hameed was out first ball and will have the rest of the day to think about the delivery from Timm van der Gugten that removed him. In bright sunshine, van der Gugten produced a ball that sent Hameed on his way immediately. Hameed appeared to try to work it with his leg, but instead lost his leg stump.
The opening day of the round offered the usual early-season mix of movement, momentum shifts and individual milestones, with live coverage tracking developments as they unfolded. With multiple Championship games in progress, attention was split between the different venues as teams looked to establish control on day one.
For Bohannon, the occasion carried a personal note as he reached a significant first-class landmark. For Lancashire, the dismissal of Wells gave them an early chance to reset after the first breakthrough of the day.
The sunshine and early wicket at Old Trafford framed the day’s start, while the broader round of fixtures continued to develop. As the Championship season moves deeper into its second round, the live blog is following every key moment, from early wickets to batting landmarks, across the county game.
