Four lots of last-gasp ditch-digging brought the first round of County Championship games to a tense finish,Northamptonshire’s last pair defied Lancashire for an hour to earn a draw at Wantage Road, strung together by an unbeaten 197-ball 95 from George Bartlett,The game looked done when James Anderson and the new ball reduced Northants to 181 for nine, but Ben Sanderson gave brave support and Bartlett straight-batted the final over from Tom Hartley despite a warren of close fielders,Derbyshire gnashed their teeth at the County Ground, as Matthew Waite and Ethan Brookes masterminded a Worcestershire rearguard action, brushing off an attack including Mohammad Abbas and Shoaib Bashir,Tawanda Muyeye’s unbeaten 109 off just 121 balls for Kent kept out Durham at Chester-le-Street and a rollercoaster match at Sophia Gardens was enlivened by a brave declaration from Glamorgan’s captain, Kiran Carlson.

Yorkshire’s pursuit of 295 was on course thanks to 97 from Adam Lyth, but when he fell to Ben Kellaway, attack turned to desperate wall-building.There was Easter cheer for Sussex, who started the season on minus 12 points, but find themselves on the scoreboard thanks to a thumping win at Grace Road.Leicestershire put up stiff defence in the first 90 minutes thanks to Ben Cox and Stevie Eskinazi but both fell to Fynn Hudson-Prentice and the innings trickled to a close.Henry Crocombe finished with career-best match figures of nine for 69.The 18-year-old Seb Morgan was the star of the show at Lord’s, where Middlesex cooked up a win by an innings and 14 runs.

Morgan’s two wickets in two balls opened up Gloucestershire’s middle order.Surrey fired up the juggernaut at Edgbaston to deny Warwickshire, who took only one wicket all day on a dream batting pitch.Dan Lawrence and Jamie Smith added 217 until Smith was caught for 132.Lawrence was unbeaten on 161.Somerset drew with Nottinghamshire at Taunton.

Four thrilling draws to close the curtains on Easter Monday.Glad to be back? Thanks for your company, we’ll be here on Friday for round two.Have a lovely evening, bye!DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 302 and 218-5dec DRAW with Yorkshire 226 and 239-7Southampton: Essex 461-7d BEAT Hampshire 156 and 168 by an innings and 136 runs.Grace Road: Sussex 361 and 364 BEAT Leicestershire 245 and 258 by 222 runsTaunton: Somerset 347 and 407-5dec DRAW with Nottinghamshire 338 and 140-3Edgbaston: Warwickshire 544 DRAW with Surrey 328 and 447-4DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 625-8dec DRAW with Worcestershire 312 and 314-7Chester le Street: Durham 335 and 218-9dec DRAW with Kent 197 and 324-5Lord’s: Middlesex 445-9dec BEAT Gloucestershire 216 and 215 by an innings and 14 runs.Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 258 and 213-9 DRAW with Lancashire 384 and 194Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 302 and 218-5dec DRAW with Yorkshire 226 and 239-7And finally…Yorkshire end up holding on in a thriller at Sophia Gardens.

Glamorgan 12 points, Yorkshire 10 points,The County Ground: Derbyshire 625-8dec DRAW with Worcestershire 312 and 314-7Chapeau, Matthew Waite,Derbyshire 16 points; Worcestershire 11Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 258 and 213-9 DRAW with Lancashire 384 and 194Well played George Bartlett! (95 not out) and crucial digging in from Ben Sanderson,Lancashire 14 points, Northants 12 pointsA seventh wicket at the Gardens! Yorkshire have four overs to survive,Northant’s 10 and 11 have two more overs to dig out.

Worcestershire, seven down, have four,Chester le Street: Durham 335 and 218-9dec DRAW with Kent 197 and 324-5Well played Tawanda Muyeye, 109 not out!Durham 13 points, Kent 11 pointsTaunton: Somerset 347 and 407-5dec DRAW with Nottinghamshire 338 and 140-3 A thrilling last hour ahead at Northampton, Cardiff, Durham and Derby – but I’d better start writing up for the paper,Will pop back when I can,Enjoy!Hmmm,Yorkshire now five down as Ben Kellaway joins the wicket-taking tally.

Crucially, it’s Adam Lyth, who gets a breath of an edge.A big wicket for Durham! DBD caught off diesel engine Potts.DBD gone for a valiant 37.Kent 165-4.Jimmy Anderson has the new ball in his hand at Wantage Road.

What wreckage awaits?Edgbaston: Warwickshire 544 DRAW with Surrey 328 and 447-4Hands shaken in Birmingham.Dan Lawrence 161 not out.Some excellent stonewalling by the less-fancied Div 2 teams.Kent 146-3, Muyeye – who is fancy-danning rather than stonewalling, 63, DBD 28.Kent 147-3 – would need another 210 to beat Durham.

George Bartlett and Lewis McManus are still bolted to the crease at Wantage Road despite the best that Lancs can throw at them, but I read BTL that new ball is due soon.Northants 168-7, would need another 153 to win.And the adhesive Ethan Brookes and Matthew Waite have put on 62 together and taken up 24 overs of Derbyshire’s toil.Worcs 247-6, still train Derbys by 66.Surrey have fired up the juggernaut and are now 427-4 against Warwickshire.

That pitch could break a few hearts this year.Dan Lawrence has 150, Smith was out for 132.They lead Warwicks by 211 runs.Notts have lost both openers – one to Jack Leach and one to Alfie Ogborne, they need a theoretical 318 to beat Somerset but I’d have thought they’d be shaking hands in half an hour.Things have become a little more interesting since tea.

A couple of wickets at Sophia Gardens – all of them to Mason Crane.But stubborn old goat Adam Lyth is still there, unbeaten on 87.Yorks need 145.They’re closing up the box at Grace Road now, so I’m going to find a coffee shop somewhere – back shortly!DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 302 and 218-5dec v Yorkshire 226 and 125-1 Yorks need 170 to winSouthampton: Essex 461-7d BEAT Hampshire 156 and 168 by an innings and 136 runs.Grace Road: Sussex 361 and 364 BEAT Leicestershire 245 and 258 by 222 runsTaunton: Somerset 347 and 407-5dec v Nottinghamshire 338 and 86-0 Notts need 331 to winEdgbaston: Warwickshire 544 v Surrey 328 and 390-4DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 625-8dec v Worcestershire 312 and 214-6Chester le Street: Durham 335 and 218-9dec v Kent 197 and 100-3 Kent need 257 to winLord’s: Middlesex 445-9dec BEAT Gloucestershire 216 and 215 by an innings and 14 runs.

Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 258 and 144-7 v Lancashire 384 and 194 Northants need 177 to winLord’s: Middlesex 445-9dec BEAT Gloucestershire 216 and 215 by an innings and 14 runs,Four wickets for Seb Morgan, three for Ryan Higgins,Middlesex ? points, Gloucestershire ? pointsSome significant changes in pitch regulations are reported in The Cricketer today,Nick Friend reports that any team who prepare a Championship pitch rated “below average, poor or unfit” by the match referee will lose all points from that match,Regulation 16.

2.6: “In the event of a match being abandoned due to a pitch that has been rated unfit, or if the pitch is rated poor or below average, in accordance with the ECB’s pitch regulations, the home team shall be awarded zero points and any first innings points already achieved shall be rescinded,”“The home team shall be credited with a loss and the away team a draw for tiebreaker purposes.”Teams could also be referred to the Cricket RegulatorSome excellent stonewalling going on in Div 2 by Worcestershire (204-6) and Northants (139-7).Middlesex nearly there, Josh de Caires has winkled out Will Williams for 14.Enter last man Gabe Bell.

Gloucestershire still trail Middx by 22 runs.Henry Crocombe’s match figures of nine for 69 here at Grace Road were a career best.Lovely way to start off the season for a young player who made his debut during the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy.The players have now gone and the jackdaws have the ground to themselves, on the look-out for suitable nesting twigs.Yorkshire’s target is already below 200.

Adam Lyth’s unbeaten 68, off 101 balls, has set his side up very nicely.Carlson has summoned Andy Gorvin into the attack.A couple of Durham drops lets Kent off the hook.Half an hour or so till tea.Middlesex need just two wickets at Lord’s, though a steadfast partnership between Matt Taylor (49 ball 10 not out) and Will Williams (49 ball 12 not out) is holding them up a little.

Glos 194-8, trail Middx by 35,A very impressive fifty for George Bartlett at Wantage Road, though he’s just lost batting partner Sales, winkled out by Hartley for an 83 ball 24,Northants 128-7,Lancs press on,A nice way for Dan Lawrence to start the season.

Now 111 not out, Jamie Smith 115 not out as Surrey’s middle order get some batting practise in at Edgbaston,The lead 124 and heading towards handshakes in a couple of hours,Yorkshire are making good speed, but Mason Crane has a wicket, Finlay Bean for 23,Yorkshire 80-1, need 215 more,Ben Kellaway and Crane bowling in tandem.