Caddick back in style but Hussain and Vaughan fail

Essex won the toss, batted first and were skittled for 188, as Leicestershire took firm control of proceedings at Chelmsford. Phil DeFreitas led from the front with three wickets, including a subdued Nasser Hussain who managed just 6 from 33 balls in his first outing of the season, as Essex slumped to a gruesome 91 for 7. They showed the value of having a former Test opener batting at No. 9, however, when John Stephenson thumped a lusty 50 to rescue the remains of the innings. Stephenson then grabbed the wicket of Trevor Ward for 44, as Leicestershire closed on 114 for 3.

On their early-season form, Surrey, the hottest favourites for the Championship in years, are threatening to emulate Yorkshire's hero-to-zero antics last season, as Warwickshire outplayed them on the first day at The Oval. Nick Knight, feeling the effects of a knee injury, and Tony Frost added 153 for the first wicket, before Martin Bicknell and Alex Tudor fought back with five cheap wickets in the middle order. Mark Wagh, however, battled on to reach 91 not out at the close, thanks to some excellent support from a robust tail.

Thirteen wickets fell on the first day at Hove, as Sussex and Kent traded blows on an overcast day. After winning the toss and bowling first, Kent's Alamgir Sheriyar took 5 for 65 with strong support from Martin Saggers and Mark Ealham, as Sussex found the conditions tough to handle. Chris Adams fared better than most with a hard-fought 54, but Kent found batting no easier later in the day, as they lost two quick wickets and a third before the close. Robert Key was the first to go, bowled for a duck while playing no shot to James Kirtley.

Andy Caddick started his season as he means to go on with four wickets on a rain-shortened day at Derby, but it was Richard Johnson who started the rout with a three-wicket burst at the top of the order. Johnson removed Michael Di Venuto, Chris Bassano and Steve Selwood without conceding a run as Derbyshire were bundled out for 190. Peter Bowler fell early in reply, but Somerset's captain Michael Burns charged to a rapid 40 before being dismissed by Dominic Cork, off the last ball of the day. Marcus Trescothick was left unbeaten on 15.

Jonty Rhodes continued his excellent form with a dogged 60, as Gloucester established a strong position on a seaming wicket at Chester-le-Street. They may yet regret a mid-innings collapse, as they lost four wickets for nine runs, but by the close, Jack Russell had grafted his way to 31 not out, with determined support from Jon Lewis and Mike Smith. Earlier, Trevor Hancock's 59 had helped build a strong position, while Rhodes became a first Championship victim for his former South African team-mate, Dewald Pretorius.

Wisden's cover-boy and England one-day captain-in-waiting, Michael Vaughan, lasted just seven deliveries on his return to action, as Hampshire's seamers ripped through the Yorkshire line-up at the Rose Bowl. Vaughan was bowled by Wasim Akram for 1, before Alan Mullally picked up three wickets in an excellent spell to reduce Yorkshire to 84 for 5. Michael Lumb dug in with a face-saving 60 not out, but when Shaun Udal popped up with two wickets in two balls, Yorkshire were teetering at 128 for 7. Enter Darren Gough, who smashed a gloriously flamboyant 30 not out, with four fours and a six, to take some of the sheen off Hampshire's day.

Worcestershire v Northamptonshire, Worcester
Scorecard

Vikram Solanki and Ben Smith did their best to stem the tide, but Northamptonshire pulled together their best performance of the season to dismiss Worcestershire for 236 at New Road. John Blain and Ben Phillips shared nine of the wickets as six batsmen failed to reach double figures. After Smith had been trapped lbw by Jeff Cook for 50, Solanki shepherded the tail with a determined 79, before he became the fifth of Blain's wickets. In reply, Northamptonshire reached 108-1 when rain stopped play