Somerset rescued by Dom Bess and Steven Davies in County Championship

Steve Davies and Dom Bess rescued Somerset from potential embarrassment on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Taunton.

The Division One leaders were reduced to 145-6 by their bottom-placed opponents, with Jake Ball, Luke Wood and Ravi Ashwin claiming two wickets each.

But Bess then contributed 51 to a seventh-wicket stand of 128 in 37 overs with Davies, who hit 74, as Somerset made 326 all out. SCORECARD

Teenager Rob Yates fell nine runs short of his maiden first-class century as Warwickshire battled hard to eat into Hampshire’s huge first-innings total of 539, closing on 198-3.

The 19-year-old academy graduate added a vital 142-run stand for the third wicket with Sam Hain, who collected his second Championship half-century of the season. SCORECARD

Elsewhere, Simon Harmer claimed his sixth five-wicket haul of the summer to take his tally past 50 for the third-successive season as Essex dismissed Yorkshire for 208 inside two sessions at Chelmsford before reaching 122-3 in reply – Tom Westley unbeaten on 52. SCORECARD

Surrey had the better of a truncated first day at The Kia Oval against Kent – Dean Elgar (63) and Ben Foakes (57no) impressing as they made 244-6, with Kent failed to make the most of exaggerated movement before and after lunch. SCORECARD

Leicestershire’s seamers bowled outstandingly to dismiss Durham for just 117 after the visitors had chosen to bat first in a Division Two match at the Fischer County Ground. SCORECARD

Chris Wright (5-30) was the pick of the attack, claiming his first five-wicket return since joining the county from Warwickshire at the end of last season.

By the close of play Leicestershire had passed their opponents’ score and begun to build a first-innings lead, captain Paul Horton leading the way with a half-century.

Twenty wickets fell on the opening day of Worcestershire’s match with Derbyshire at Kidderminster.

Derbyshire opted to bat and were dismissed for 108 in 44.2 overs, with Worcestershire club captain Joe Leach and Charlie Morris inflicting most of the damage. SCORECARD

The home side then also struggled for runs and were bowled out for 113, with Luis Reece their chief destroyer.

Temba Bavuma made his first century in county cricket as Northamptonshire enjoyed a fabulous opening day against Lancashire at Wantage Road. SCORECARD

Bavuma, who had only made one half-century in 11 innings before, lit up the afternoon with 103 runs as Northamptonshire closed on 334-5.

Josh Shaw returned his best figures of the season as Gloucestershire gained the upper hand by bowling Middlesex out. SCORECARD

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