After the abundance of drawn contests in Division One final week, the most recent motion within the Rothesay County Championship produced a way more result-oriented spherical with six constructive outcomes in seven matches.
There was lots to delve into and a few fascinating storylines to emerge as soon as once more, with a lot of sides incomes essential first wins of the marketing campaign.
For unique tales and all of the detailed cricket news you want, subscribe to The Cricket Paper web site, digital version, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day
Notts go high and Surrey discover profitable contact
Reigning champions Nottinghamshire swept apart East Midlands neighbours Leicestershire by ten wickets to stay unbeaten and transfer to the highest of the desk.
It was a dominant all-round efficiency by the guests at Grace Highway, led by Ben Slater’s 178 within the first innings earlier than Olly Stone and Liam Patterson-White shared 14 wickets as Notts enforced the follow-on.
With runs flowing all through the batting lineup and a bowling assault doing the enterprise with Josh Tongue and Fergus O’Neill ready within the wings, the indicators are trying promising for Haseeb Hameed’s aspect who maintain an eight-point lead over their subsequent opponents Surrey.
Talking of Surrey, they accomplished a complete victory of their very own over Sussex on the Kia Oval to kickstart their title bid after three tedious high-scoring attracts.
Surrey had conceded a century opening stand within the first innings of every of their earlier matches however a five-wicket burst by Jordan Clark within the morning session on day one ensured their bowlers had been on high for a change, earlier than some fairly very good defiance by centurions Jack Carson and Ollie Robinson.
Dom Sibley’s risk-free 187 anchored one other mammoth complete on dwelling soil, passing 10,000 profession first-class runs within the course of, earlier than the Sussex high order as soon as once more got here unstuck in opposition to a extra probing Surrey tempo assault to set a goal of simply 14 on day 4.
A sign maybe Surrey are starting to hit their straps forward of the top-of-the-table conflict at Trent Bridge later this week between the 2 contenders in 2025.
PICTURE: Alamy
Root stars in Yorkshire comeback victory
Somerset may also consider they’re firmly within the title hunt however they faltered in opposition to Yorkshire to endure a primary defeat of the season.
It was all trying good for Somerset who started day two with a 39-run lead and nonetheless seven wickets remaining however didn’t capitalise on that benefit, although nonetheless discovered themselves with a primary innings lead of greater than 100.
Joe Root contributed his second half-century in as many appearances to assist the guests put up a resolute 371 second time round however a goal of 260 on a flat Taunton pitch appeared nicely inside attain.
George Hill took two early wickets but it surely was then all concerning the Yorkshire spinners as Root and Dom Bess claimed figures of 4-49 and 4-60 respectively to dismiss the hosts for 184 and full a exceptional first victory of 2026 to maneuver out of the underside two, while Somerset missed the possibility to reclaim high spot.
A pair of Thomas tons
Emilio Gay as soon as once more grabbed the headlines with a 3rd century of the marketing campaign to additional stake his declare for an England Check call-up this summer time – his 129 in Durham’s draw with Middlesex got here at Lord’s the place England face New Zealand in just below one month’s time.
Nevertheless, there was additionally notable lots of from two younger gamers at the beginning of their careers.
Rookie opener Josh Thomas, 21, struck an excellent maiden century for Somerset on day one in opposition to Yorkshire to make sure they established the higher hand – the subsequent cab off the rank in a aspect stuffed with burgeoning expertise.
The left-hander was fluent all through for his 136, with 18 fours and one six, reaching three figures off simply 109 balls which surpassed his earlier highest rating of 86 in opposition to Essex within the last sport of final season.
J. Thomas, who had recorded single-figure returns in every of his earlier 5 innings final month, additionally went on to high rating within the second innings with a way more watchful 57.
From the South West to South London, the place teenager Adam Thomas hit a memorable century on his first-class debut for Surrey on the Kia Oval.
Arriving on the crease with the rating 371-5, the 19-year-old propelled the whole to in extra of 600 together with his 120 from 181 balls, showcasing an array of assured stroke play to benefit from a toiling Sussex assault as he grew to become the ninth Surrey batter to succeed in three figures on County Championship debut.
A. Thomas beforehand demonstrated his potential on the high of the order within the Metro Financial institution One Day Cup final season, scoring 162 off 149 balls in opposition to Derbyshire, and shall be hoping for extra alternatives to impress because the season progresses.
Residence discomforts for Hampshire
Hampshire escaped relegation by the pores and skin of their enamel in 2025 and the indications within the early rounds of this season have gotten fairly ominous.
There was a confidence-boosting win at Yorkshire within the second sport however defeat to Glamorgan was their third successive loss on the Utilita Bowl and so they stay all-time low of Division One on 26 factors.
Trudging off the sphere on the finish of day one together with your opponents 353-1 after inviting them to bat on a deceptive-looking inexperienced pitch is fairly soul-destroying and Hampshire by no means obtained near wrestling again any type of momentum as they had been dismissed twice nonetheless 69 runs wanting Glamorgan’s first innings complete – their second innings defeat of the marketing campaign.
The batting was a significant difficulty in 2025 as they struggled to fill the void left by James Vince and people issues seem stark as soon as once more for a largely inexperienced lineup which was not helped by the absence of latest signing Jake Lehmann who missed the match due to private causes.
Having not gained at dwelling because the opening spherical in opposition to Yorkshire final season, one other relegation battle is seemingly on the playing cards for brand spanking new head coach Russell Domingo as Hampshire look to keep away from dropping into Division Two for the primary time since promotion in 2014.
The outcome was additionally a major one for the guests, their first win again within the high flight since 2005 which sees them firmly nestled within the mid-table pack.
PICTURE: Alamy
Young and old at coronary heart of first Northants win
Northamptonshire are off the mark with a powerful victory by an innings and 177 runs over beforehand undefeated Worcestershire to position themselves firmly within the early season promotion dialog.
After three attracts to begin the marketing campaign, Northants registered their first win within the red-ball format since June 2025 to maneuver as much as second and 6 factors behind leaders Durham.
23-year-old all-rounder James Gross sales backed up his career-best 164 in opposition to Middlesex two weeks in the past with an unbeaten 146 at Wantage Highway – one among three centurions within the hosts’ first innings complete of 597-7 declared to steer by 291.
After taking 4 wickets on day one, 37-year-old Ben Sanderson then produced a shocking spell of 6-7 within the house of 29 balls late on day three – together with a peach of a supply with the definition ‘high of off’ to take away Ethan Brookes – to tear by way of the Pears batting order and seal a convincing win.
Sanderson’s burst noticed him finish with figures of 7-31 and career-best match figures of 11-109 to leap above fellow veteran James Anderson to the highest of the wicket-taking charts in Division Two with 25 at a mean of 15.92.
Feedback turned off as Kent change on
On the eve of their dwelling fixture with Derbyshire, Kent introduced an uncommon step whereby they’d be disabling feedback on all social media accounts as a method of ‘responsibility of care’ to the gamers.
Kent had been relegated from Division One in 2024, completed backside of Division Two in Adam Hollioake’s first season in cost and had been winless of their opening three video games of the brand new marketing campaign to seek out themselves in a well-known place as soon as extra.
An emphatic 225-run victory over Derbyshire at Canterbury was desperately wanted, ending a wait of greater than 12 months for a win within the format and offering a springboard for a aspect with the standard to be difficult in the direction of the highest finish of the division.
With Kent beneath stress at 55-5 within the second innings and the lead simply above 100, Chris Benjamin took management with a second profession first-class hundred and was ably-supported by Joey Evison in a 184-run partnership for the seventh wicket to assist set the guests a frightening 384 to win.
Seamer Matt Milnes then produced a elegant show of new-ball bowling because the Derbyshire high order wilted on the morning session of day 4, ending with career-best figures of 6-12 from 15 overs, with the guests all out for simply 158.
There have been some positives for Derbyshire within the type of 23-year-old seamer Rory Haydon who claimed two five-wicket hauls in simply his third first-class look, changing Mohammad Abbas who’s away on worldwide responsibility, although it’s now three straight defeats and a reoccurrence of comparable points for Mickey Arthur’s aspect who had been closely tipped for promotion.
PICTURE: Alamy
READ MORE: Durham chief Ryan Campbell bangs the drum for Emilio Gay
