Image source, Getty Images

So that is that on the first day of a new County Championship season and despite it being a two-jumper day in the stands at some grounds, the action has warmed things up nicely.

First wicket of the season? Rory Burns run out at Edgbaston. First century? Emilio Gay (128) for Durham in Division Two. And the first ever subbed player under the new ECB regulations? Essex captain Tom Westley who was replaced by Noah Thain.

That's the quiz questions done on a day which probably had returning England players Zak Crawley (9), Jamie Smith (9) and Ollie Pope (20) wishing for the calmer waters of Test cricket.

We are, of course, back tomorrow for day two of four in five Division One matches and four in the second tier so please join us in the morning from 10:40 BST.

What a day indeed. Thanks for all your messages on a bumper opening day of the season.

Division One

Glamorgan 99-4 v Yorkshire

Hampshire v Essex 219-3

Leicestershire 15-1 v Sussex 361

Somerset 292-6 v Nottinghamshire

Warwickshire v Surrey 328

Division Two

Derbyshire 391-4 v Worcestershire

Durham 335 v Kent 50-2

Middlesex 279-5 v Gloucestershire

Northamptonshire v Lancashire 346-7

Ben Raine back to face Sam Northeast who glances a thick edge past the slips to the boundary at third.

And what's this... under the bluest of skies, the players are heading off for bad light as the sun slides behind the stand. That will be stumps.

Fascinating day of cricket with momentum shifts throughout.

Kent won the toss and chose to bowl and made early inroads, though Emilio Gay's brilliant 128 helped Durham to 189-3, only for Keith Dudgeon (4-83) and three wickets each for debutant Glenton Stuurman and Grant Stewart to haul Kent back into the ascendancy at 290-9, and the hosts to add 45 for the final wicket and then pick up the prized scalps of Zak Crawley and Ben Compton early in the reply.

Wonderfully poised for day two.

Short and wide first up from Kemar Roach and Tawanda Muyeye needs no invitation to crack that away to the deep point rope for his first boundary.

The third ball is clipped towards backward square off a thick inside edge for a single while Sam Northeast helps the fourth delivery to fine leg for another.

Muyeye survives a muted appeal from the final ball of the over and we have two more to come.

Yorkshire will be very happy with the early inroads into Glamorgan's batting order they have made following a late start at Sophia Gardens - but concerned about the fitness of skipper Jonny Bairstow.

He had to leave the field six overs before the close after a bang on the hand while keeping wicket but they have not invoked the new substitute protocols at this stage.

Jack White was the pick of Yorkshire's attack, claiming three wickets with the new ball, but Colin Ingram and Ben Kellaway have steadied the Glamorgan ship with an unbroken stand of 71.

White bowls the final over of the day and Ingram collects two before driving the next ball for four to finish on 41 not out.

Ben Raine sends down another maiden over facing Sam Northeast, who is denied a couple of runs at least by a diving stop in the covers by skipper Alex Lees.

Three overs to come. The Matthew Potts v Tawanda Muyeye contest is over, Kemar Roach will return in Potts' place.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Zak Crawley lasted just 12 balls before he fell LBW to Matty Potts on nine. It left Kent struggling on 22-2 after Ben Compton fell LBW to Kemar Roach in the first over for four.

Things could have been a lot better for the hosts if Ben McKinney had held onto a Tawanda Muyeye edge at first slip. It was Potts who found the edge, with the batsman yet to get off the mark, but it went down after a bit of juggling.

Muyeye is having a torrid time against Potts.

Tawanda Muyeye slashes high at a short one from Matthew Potts but can't get anything on it - it would have surely been a boundary or catch, had his bat made contact.

Tense stuff, this, in the gloaming.

Potts beats the edge from the fourth ball as Muyeye whips the blade out of the way just in time, leading to Potts throwing his hands to his head. This is a fine spell, asking plenty of questions.

Muyeye negotiates the penultimate ball and then drives straight back down the track, causing Sam Northeast to dive to recover his ground.

Northeast will be back on strike after the maiden over.

With two overs to go, Yorkshire call up off-spinner Dom Bess to see if he can winkle out another Glamorgan batter before the close.

He can't - but it's a maiden.

Ben Raine back from the other end to face Sam Northeast, who runs one down to fine leg with the aid of his pad, rather than his bat, stood well across his stumps, and picks up four leg byes.

Raine responds with a ball which nips back a good couple of feet and draws a nod of respect from Northeast and the Raine draws the Kent man forward to the final ball, thumping the pad again, but it's adjudged to be outside the line - not that Raine thinks much of that decision.

Nervy times for Kent. Tawanda Muyeye will take strike to Matthew Potts for the next over.

Big appeal from Matthew Potts but Sam Northeast gets an inside edge onto his pads and then scrambles a single to bring Tawanda Muyeye back to the crease.

He negotiates a couple of dot balls before clipping neatly through mid-wicket to get off the mark with a couple from the 16th ball he'd faced.

He'll feel better now.

The Kent deficit is under 300.

Six overs remain in the day.

Jack White in for another over and Colin Ingram guides him down to third man for four. Good timing there and the left-hander is 35 not out.

Despite the late wickets it is probably a day which has vindicated Lancashire's decision to bat after winning the toss. But Northants have shown enough bite to stay in the contest.

Luke Wells (86), Josh Bohannon (90) and Michael Jones (71), the last named with a very elegant and entertaining knock all contributed to a decent total for the Red Rose on day one.

But there is a feeling it could have been better with Lancs gifting a few of their wickets.

Credit to Tudor Roses Northants for sticking at it, particularly Calvin Harrison and Harry Conway who took two in three overs to chip out Lancashire's middle order.

There were a three dropped catches from the hosts (two from Lewis McManus behind the stumps and one from captain Luke Procter) with Jones dropped on four and 52 particularly galling.

Lancashire look capable of a third and possibly fourth batting point while Northants will fancy taking all three bowling points in what is a finely-poised match

Just a single off the final ball of Ben Raine's over for Sam Northeast, who will retain strike.

Tawanda Muyeye remains on nought from 13 deliveries as Matty Potts resumes from the other end.

It's still gloriously sunny but very chilly and windy out there.

Fin Bean has taken over behind the stumps with Jonny Bairstow off the field for Yorkshire.

There are five obvers remaining, with Colin Ingram 31 not out and Ben Kellaway on 29. These two have added 55 in tandem so far.

Very true, Kian, Lawes' career-best FC score of 83 came at a crucial time for the visitors and set-up the thrilling contest we all enjoyed.

Kent have steadied the ship rather at the Riverside.

Sam Northeast is on 12 from 20 with a couple of classy boundaries off Kemar Roach while Tawanda Muyeye has survived an early drop but remains scoreless from 12 deliveries.

Ben Raine is coming into the attack with eight overs remaining in the day.

Postpublished at 18:30 BST 3 April

18:30 BST 3 April

Glamorgan 82-4 v Yorkshire

Yorkshire captain Jonny Bairstow takes a painful blow on the thumb and has to leave the field.

You can bet he won't be pulling out of this match and making use of the new substitute regs unless it is absolutely unavoidable.