It suddenly got interesting when I had to start writing! Classic Lancs and Notts-ups of the genre and intriguing days all round suddenly in prospect tomorrow. Strange skies here at OT, I’m going to hurry home. Thanks for all the comments as usual, till tomorrow, good night!

I see they’ve called it a day at Hove, with Northants 292-7.

Time for me to gather my thoughts for a write up for the paper, but do keep the party going BTL.

Legspin from the Statham end for the first time and Cameron Steel makes an immediate breakthrough, with a doll of ball that pings back Balderson’s middle stump. Lancs 150-3. The tall Tom Bruce strolls out.

And thanks to the statistical genius of Ken Grime, I can tell you that Josh Bohannon has now scored 4,000 first-class runs for Lancashire at an average of 48.19.

Only 3 players who have scored 4,000 runs + first-class runs for Lancashire have a better average:-

• Stuart Law 7,845 @ 55.63

• John Crawley 10,533 @51.13

• Ashwell Prince 5,791 @ 49.49

In Division One:

Joey Evison (73) has found some solidity in the unlikely figure of Matt Parkinson, batting at No. 10. Kent 267-8.

Dan Lawrence bowls and the Peter Hartley’s hat blows off almost to the rope. Lancashire 131-2, Bohannon 62. A slow period of play this.

Notts going for it with Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes putting on 147. Notts 247-4, trail Essex by just six runs. Harmer 12.4 overs, 0-48.

And Ed Barnard irritating his former county with 58 in Warwickshire’s 199-3.

Robson and Stoneman ensuring that Middlesex’s opening batting statement for 2024 is much more boring than 2023. Currently 61-0.

Saif Zaib just out at Hove, for 36, but the Northants tail proving an irritant for Sussex. Northants 292-7.

And Josh Bohannon smashes Lawrence into the car park for six!

Rehan Ahmed will miss two/threeof Leicestershire’s County Championship games to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, with the blessing of club and country.

Meanwhile, Leicestershire have done well to scrap past 300 at Headingley, Ben Mike on 66 in an unbeaten partnership of 91 with Tom (another one) Scriven.

Super work here by Rowledge CC, who have collected 63 items of cricket gear for redistributing and reducing waste/saving carbon.

Did another circuit of OT, sat on the picnic benches and watched Josh Bohannon trundle a single to reach fifty, which he celebrated with a low key waft of the bat, first towards the dressing room, then the pavilion. Batting helmet firmly on. A good-enough trade being done by the ice-cream van, though you’d have to be careful your Mr Whippy wasn’t decapitated in the wind tunnel underneath The Point .

The wind blows the players in for tea at Old Trafford with Lancs 101-2. Scores to follow.

And a second wicket at Old Trafford as Wells gives Dan Lawrence a nice little catch on the rope, a wicket for Tom (another one) Lawes. Lancs 93-2

“Re the quadruple Toms,” writes Keith Razey, “Somerset have four - Banton, Kohler-Canmore, Lammonby and Abell, but I’m not sure they’ve ever played in the same XI.”

Jamie Overton thunders in for his fourth over, battling the breeze and Bohannon – who is just ten short of his half century. Lancs 90-1.

In Division Two: Middlesex have survived the first four and half overs and are 30-0. A reminder of last year’s calamitous start.

Northants 255-6 at Hove, after captain Luke Procter was caught for 92, with fifty for Karun Nair. Three wickets for Jayden Seales. Robinson 19-7-46-1.

And Leicestershire’s tail making Yorkshire work for their wickets, from 174-6 to 241-8. Three wickets for Hill and Milnes.

Right, let’s go round the grounds. Division One first:

After an expensive first over, Lewis Gregory has scissored through the Kent top order, dismissing the top three. Kent 152-5

Steady business from Bohannon and Wells at Old Trafford on a sluggish outfield. Lancs 67-1.

Essex picking away at Notts, a wicket each from Porter and Cook, two for Snater. Notts 128-4, 125 behind.

While at Edgbaston, Davies and Rhodes are sailing along smoothly, Warwicks 102-1, trail Worcs by 258.

Northeast equals Gooch’s 333…

while Romeo has found another triple centurion in the first round,
”I don’t know how many times someone has scored a triple century in the
first round of the County Championship, or if this is the most recent
occasion, but James Hildreth did in 2009, against Warwickshire at
Taunton. 303* off 338 balls, with 35 fours and four sixes.”

Tanya, asks Iain Noble. “Is today’s side Lancashire’s the one with the most Toms in it ever? Or indeed any 1^st Class side?”

Google isn’t helping me here, but it seems unlikely there have been more than four Toms in any one side…

Trouble at mill, as the sheet covering the old OT pavilion window attached to the sightscreen blows away. My youngest son is currently on a cross channel ferry – hoping the wind hasn’t made it quite that far east…

And thanks to SOTD for digging around and discovering that the last man to get a triple century in the first round was “Justin Langer who in 2007 scored 315 against, yes, Middlesex. I believe that’s also the highest ever FC score in England in April.”

Northeast now on the quest to beat Graham Gooch’s 333, which is the highest score at Lord’s. I was at that game and remember the hush as he got into the 300s.

A sigh and a missed stumping at Lord’s, with Northeast on 291. At OT a first sight of next-cab-off-the-rank Bohannon. Watchful.

Iain Noble

And the 200 partnership ticks over at Lord’s, Glamorgan now 523-3, Northeast 291.

Did you want to see a picture of Dan Lawrence in his Surrey cap?

At the other end, another migrant, Jordan Clark. Shirt untucked, head band in, athletic approach.

Aha! Here comes Dan Lawrence, after just nine overs of seam. Gareth Batty did say that he thought there was plenty of potential with Lawrence’s spin. DL’s approach is similar to those in the back row of a ballet class, wave your arms around alot and hope the teacher won’t notice that you have no clue what you’re doing. Lancs 20-0.

Surrey looking all very perky in the field, lots of energetic jogging. Rory Burns, in characteristic big white sunhat, is directing traffic.

Sam Northeast is just 17 short of a triple ton, a tasty 283 off 365 balls, 34 fours and three big ones. Steady with that Lord’s lunch Sam.

Question: when, if ever, was the last time someone made a triple century in the first round?

Just walked round the ground to buy some coffees at Cafe Nero, and can confirm that the wind is strong enough to take off your trousers and unbutton your shirt. After three overs, Lancashire are 4-0.

Paul Edwards and I are chewing over the respective batting line-ups. Surrey’s does seem to be a little stronger…

Lancashire debuts number 706: Tom Aspinwall 707: Tom Bruce and 708: Nathan Lyon.

Essex’s opening bowlers doing their bit – Duckett and Slater sent on their way by Cook and Snater. Notts 59-2.

At OT, Surrey are having a kick around and Lancs are applauding debutants. Nathan Lyon gets a few chummy back slaps.

A commendable effort by Worcestershire, all out for 360. Three wickets for Rushworth, two each for Rhodes and Booth. Jason Holder finished on 29. Now, let’s see what Holder can do with the ball?

No Shoaib Bashir for Somerset, which they could live to regret as Lewis Gregory brings himself onto bowl and is pinged for 20. Kent 48-0.

An early lunch at Headingley, with the hope they’l start at 1.10pm

Elsewhere in Division Two, Northants press on regardless: fifty for Luke Procter and nearly there for Karun Nair.

….and here at OT the covers are coming on again

A trip round the Division One grounds with half an hour gone:

Compton and Muyeye have taken Kent to 11-0 against Somerset opening pair Josh Davey and ex Notts Jake Ball.

Essex were all out for the addition of only nine runs, and in reply Hameed is currently outscoring Duckett. Notts 13-0

Jason Holder has moved into double figures at Edgbaston, but Warwickshire have nipped out Nathan Smith: Worcs 333-8.

A further inspection at Durham at 11.am, and after lunch at Derby. But elsewhere, things are looking brighter!

The groundstaff don’t look too impressed…

Words from yesterday’s happy men:

Kashif Ali:

“I am buzzing. I feel very humbled and blessed to have scored my maiden century and to do it at Edgbaston, a Test match ground, is really special. I just want to send huge thanks to all the people at Worcestershire and at the South Asian Cricket Academy for all their help and support.

“It was hard graft at times because they bowled really well and it is not a free-flowing wicket. It was nice to reach my century with a six. I had thought if the ball was in the right place I would go for it and it came out nicely.”

Sam Northeast:

“It is one off the bucket list getting a hundred at Lord’s for sure. We have put ourselves in a great position. I’m not sure I had this in the script when I was tossing up this morning.

“I plan to be very greedy on day two. I plan to bat for a little bit longer tomorrow. We’ll have to see how many runs we can get. Hopefully we can declare in a strong position.

“I want to lead from the front, so it is a nice way to start that, but I’d like to be walking away from here with a victory, that’s the most important thing.”

and Dane Paterson:

“It’s been a busy week. My little boy had a tonsillectomy and I wanted to be sure that he was going to be okay, which is why I was a bit late coming back.

I’m a bit tired now, the ground is pretty heavy at this time of year. But I’m pleased with the way I got back into my rhythm. I love bowling here, it is my second home now.”

Arrive at Old Trafford to find the umpires, all in black, staring at the outfield like owls on the hunt. The groundstaff squat on the roller staring back at them.