'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEI/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAANKwk//EAB0QAAICAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAAIyFCFTYpL/2gAIAQEAAT8AQhZThTa9hj2M0iuNfgT/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMTUv/aAAgBAgEBPwCiPKP/xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARH/2gAIAQMBAT8ArP/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The first match of County Championship Division One 2024 between Durham and Hampshire ended without a ball being bowled due to rain. The second and third games (Kent vs Somerset) and (Lancashire vs Surrey) respectively ended in draws.
Meanwhile, Essex secured a 254-run win over Nottinghamshire in the fourth game, while Worcestershire and Warwickshire had to settle for a draw in the fifth contest.
Essex secured a convincing win to maintain pole position in the standings with 20 points. Somerset and Worcestershire are second and third respectively with 15 and 14 points respectively.
Warwickshire are fourth with 13 points, while Kent climbed up to fifth with 12 points. Surrey are sixth after their drawn game, with 11 points. Hampshire and Durham are seventh and eighth respectively, picking up eight points apiece, while Lancashire are ninth with eight points.
Nottinghamshire are the wooden spoon holders with four points after losing their first game.
Sam Cook stuns with 10-wicket match haul in County Championship
Moving to the second game of the County Championship, Kent posted 284, thanks to Joey Evison's 85. Lewis Gregory picked up a four-fer. In response, Somerset made 403 to take the lead. Tom Lammonby was the star with 90.
In the third innings, Kent scored 290-4d in 63 overs, courtesy of Daniel Bell-Drummond's 107* and Joe Denly's 110. Eventually, the game ended in a draw.
The third County Championship game was largely dominated by rain. Lancashire posted 202 in their first innings, with Josh Bohannon scoring 84, while Cameron Steel scalped a fifer. In response, Sureey scored 15-0 before the game ended in a draw.
Shifting our focus to the fourth County Championship contest, Essex notched up 253, thanks to Dean Elgar's 80, while Jordan Cox shone with 84. Dane Paterson claimed an impressive fifer.
Nottinghamshire, in response, made 293 to take the lead. Joe Clarke was the top-scorer with 104, while Sam Cook scalped a four-fer. In the third innings, Essex dominated with 374-9d, courtesy of Paul Watler (79) and Matt Critchley (68).
In their chase, Nottinghamshire got bundled out for 80, losing by 254 runs. Sam Cook continued his dominance with a six-fer.
Delving into the details of the fifth and final County Championship clash, Worcestershire racked up a dominating total of 360 in 107.1 overs. Kashif Ali was the standout batter with 110, while Chris Rushford scalped three wickets.
In response, Warwickshire made 333, courtesy of Ed Barnard's 89 and Will Rhodes' 64. In the third innings, Worcestershire posted an imposing total of 294-5 before the game ended in a draw. Jake Libby (101*) and Kashif Ali (133) shone.
