Alec Stewart fell just one run short of a century as Surrey ran up a formidable total on the first day of the Frizzell County Championship season against Sussex. Watched by David Graveney, Chairman of the England Selectors, the veteran of 115 Tests made 99 (139 balls, 18 fours) for Surrey in their Division One game at The Oval.

The start of the match was preceded by two minutes silence in memory of the all-rounders Ben Hollioake and Umer Rashid, and the players wore black armbands as a mark of respect. At the close Surrey had reached 461/4, with both Ally Brown and Nadeem Shahid reaching unbeaten hundreds. Mark Ramprakash made 56.

The bowlers were also made to suffer at Canterbury, where Kent raced to 340/2 against Hampshire, despite a delay for bad light this morning. Robert Key made 160 and new Championship captain David Fulton 98.

At Old Trafford, Michael Bevan, Vince Wells and Darren Stevens rescued Leicestershire from the perilous position of 65/3, taking the visitors to 385 against Lancashire. Wells and Stevens both made 74 and Bevan 66; Glen Chapple took three wickets. Lancashire were 9/0 at the close.

Sven Koenig, Middlesex's newly-signed South African left-hander, scored exactly 100 as Middlesex made a crisp start to their campaign to win promotion from Division Two. At stumps at Chester-le-Street, Middlesex had reached 326/8 against Durham. Captain-elect Andy Strauss made 70.

In the other Division Two games, Dominic Cork led a fightback by Championship outsiders Derbyshire after they were dismissed for 217 by Glamorgan at Cardiff. Simon Jones took a career-best 6/45 while Jason Kerr top-scored with 58. In reply Glamorgan closed on 163/8, with Cork taking four of the wickets.

Meanwhile Worcestershire reached 302/7 against Gloucestershire at New Road, with Ben Smith scoring 129. Ian Harvey and Jon Lewis were the wicket takers.

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