Bob Willis Trophy Digest: All the action on day one of the fourth round

The Cricketer goes around the grounds as the first batch of red-ball matches come to an end before the T20 Blast...

• COUNTY HUB

NORTH GROUP

Chester-le-street (first day of four): Durham 219-6, Derbyshire

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Alex Lees again left his mark on Derbyshire as Durham fought back to frustrate the North Group leaders on the first day of the Bob Willis Trophy match at the Emirates Riverside.

Lees batted for more than four hours to top-score with 84, his fourth 50 against Derbyshire in two seasons, after Durham had slumped to 32 for 3.

Grace Road (first day of four): Leicestershire 222, Nottinghamshire 48-0

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Half-centuries from all-rounders Tom Taylor and Ben Mike helped Leicestershire recover from 54-5 to reach a total which kept the Foxes in the game on the first day of their Bob Willis Trophy match against Nottinghamshire at the Fischer County Ground.

Headingley (first day of four): Yorkshire 8-0, Lancashire

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Yorkshire and Lancashire were restricted to only 13 balls of play during the opening day of the Bob Willis Trophy Roses clash at Emerald Headingley.

There was no play possible beyond 11.40am after the start had initially been delayed until 11.30am because of rain, with umpires Peter Hartley and James Middlebrook abandoning the day shortly after 3pm.

Yorkshire reached eight without loss having elected to bat upon winning the toss.

CENTRAL GROUP

Bristol (first day of four): Glamorgan 259, Northamptonshire 82-1

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It was a tale of two debutants for Glamorgan on the opening day at Wantage Road as they made 259 after being asked to bat before Northamptonshire replied with 82 for 1.

The first debut of Joe Cooke, who was dropped first ball and made 18, ran with the theme of Glamorgan’s struggle with the bat this season as his side slumped to 135 for 9. The second, from Callum Taylor, was an extraordinary 106 with 11 fours and six sixes to put the visitors in the match.

^{No play was possible at Arundel}

Taunton (first day of four): Somerset 237, Gloucestershire 13-4

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George Bartlett’s fourth first-class century transformed Somerset’s fortunes on a dramatic opening day of the Bob Willis Trophy match against Gloucestershire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. 

The 22-year-old former England Under-19 batsman ended unbeaten on exactly 100 as his side were bowled out for 237, having been 89 for five and 176 for nine after losing the toss. 

Bartlett’s valiant innings occupied 143 balls and featured 17 fours. David Payne claimed four for 44 and Ryan Higgins four for 72, but a last-wicket stand of 61 between Bartlett and Jack Brooks frustrated the bowlers. 

By the close, Gloucestershire had slumped to 13-4, Chris Dent and Graeme van Buuren falling to Craig Overton and Ben Charlesworth and nightwatchman Josh Shaw to Josh Davey in the first seven overs. 

Worcester (first day of four): Warwickshire 228-3, Worcestershire

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Will Rhodes hit his career-best score and first century since being appointed Warwickshire captain to frustrate Bob Willis Trophy Central Group leaders Worcestershire on the opening day of the derby clash at New Road.

The 25-year-old ended unbeaten on 142 from 263 balls with 15 fours as the Bears closed on 228-3 from 90 overs are being put into bat by home skipper Joe Leach.

SOUTH GROUP

Arundel (first day of four): Hampshire v Essex

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A damp patch in the run-ups at the Castle End of the ground prevented any play on day one of Hampshire’s Bob Willis Trophy fixture with Surrey at Arundel.

Umpires Billy Taylor and Ian Gould held four inspections throughout the day but decided at 4.15pm that the dodgy area would not dry in time for action.

Both teams are keen to play, with unbeaten Essex top of the South Division aiming to boost their chance of playing in the final, while Hampshire are second and hoping to hunt them down.

^{Craig Overton was back among the wickets}

Radlett (first day of four): Sussex 293, Middlesex

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Harry Finch’s battling half-century meant Sussex just had the better of an absorbing first day in their Bob Willis Trophy encounter with hosts Middlesex at Radlett.

Finch batted for more than three hours to hit 12 fours in a top score of 69 out of the visitors’ total of 293 all out.

Delray Rawlins weighed in down the order with a run-a-ball 46, but Sussex’s day was marred by a back injury to opener Tom Haines, who returned late in the innings with a runner but looked in great discomfort.

The Kia Oval (first day of four): Kent 295-8, Surrey

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Grant Stewart made 58 and Harry Podmore scored a fine 42-ball 47 from No 8 as the pair added 73 for the seventh wicket and Kent reached a determined 295 for 8 after being put in by Surrey on the opening day of their Bob Willis Trophy fixture at the Kia Oval.

Sam Curran returned from England Test duty to take 3-65 for Surrey but it was the lower order partnership between Podmore and Stewart that ultimately edged the day Kent’s way after a battling performance.

There were also half-century stands for the second and fifth wickets, respectively by Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning and then by Marcus O’Riordan and Darren Stevens, to frustrate a Surrey attack.

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