Yorkshire will need to bat a lot better than they did against Surrey today if they are to defend their Frizzell County Championship title this season. Alex Tudor (4-31) was the main wicket-taker as the champions were bowled out for 140 in the first two sessions. Mark Butcher and Ian Ward both reached half centuries as Surrey finished the day on 115/0, just 25 runs behind.

An innings of 162 from Murray Goodwin frustrated last year's runners-up, Somerset, as they began their campaign at Hove. Matt Bulbeck took 4-104 but Steffan Jones injured a hamstring as the home side were eventually dismissed for 337. Somerset were on 4/0 in reply when bad light ended play early for the day.

A captain's hundred from Vince Wells steadied the Leicestershire ship at the Rose Bowl. Hampshire, who awarded John Crawley his county cap following his 272 at Canterbury, had reduced the visitors to 72/3 when Wells came in. Darren Stevens helped him add 149 for the fifth wicket, and by the close Leicestershire had recovered to 389/6 with Wells unbeaten on 149.

Peter Martin initially had Warwickshire on the back foot at Edgbaston, with four wickets as the home team subsided to 136/7. But a century partnership between Neil Smith and Melvyn Betts sparked a minor revival. Smith made 96 to take his side to the comparative respectability of 297 all out. Lancashire ended the day on 48 without loss.

In Division Two, Dominic Cork buoyed Derbyshire up after a middle-order collapse. Three wickets from Durham's Mark Davies had helped reduce Derbyshire to 144/6 at Derby, despite a half century from Michael Di Venuto. Derbyshire were eventually bowled out for 263, with Neil Killeen taking 4-52. Cork then struck twice with the ball as Durham replied with 102/3.

Another captain's ton, this one from Mark Alleyne, frustrated Essex after three wickets from Essex's Ashley Cowan had reduced the West Country side to 145/7 at Chelmsford despite 80 from opener Craig Spearman. Alleyne (125*) and Ian Fisher (65) stopped the rot. Gloucestershire ended the day on 336/9.

Middlesex made the highest total of the day - 433/6 - thanks primarily to a century from Ed Joyce. Andy Strauss and Owais Shah impressed with 62 and 63 against Nottinghamshire at Lord's but it was Joyce who went on - to 119 - before he was dismissed by Greg Smith.

Centuries from David Leatherdale and former Essex batsman Stephen Peters enabled Worcestershire to prosper at Northampton. Peters made 146 and Leatherdale an undefeated 147 as Worcestershire reached 398/5 by the close.

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