Stand-in captain James Anderson sees Lancashire frustrated by Kent and weather – UK Times

Stand-in Lancashire captain James Anderson saw his side frustrated by Kent and the weather as there was an early finish to a rain-hit opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match in Blackpool.

England’s all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson has been handed the captaincy for Lancashire’s next two games, with Marcus Harris having returned to Australia for the birth of his second child.

Hopes of making early inroads at Stanley Park, though, were scuppered as Kent – put into bat – pushed on to 213 for three through 57.4 overs before play, having already seen a delayed restart to the afternoon session, was eventually called off for the day at 5.30pm.

Kent opener Ben Compton was unbeaten on 86, with 10 boundaries, while Zimbabwe batter Tawanda Muyeye had earlier made 63 off 95 balls. George Balderson finished the day with two wickets, while Anderson went for 36 runs off his nine overs which included four maidens.

All eyes at Chester-le-Street were on the return of Jofra Archer to first-class action for Sussex in their Division One match against Durham.

England bowler Archer – who last played in a red-ball match for Sussex more than four years ago following a litany of injuries – made a swift late cameo with the bat, chalking up 31 off 34 balls as the visitors reached 322 for nine on the back of a fine unbeaten 117 from James Coles.

Durham bowler Bas de Leede took four for 83 from his 21 overs.

It was an emotional day at Bristol for Gloucestershire, where tributes were paid to David ‘Syd’ Lawrence, who has died at the age of 61 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year.

Lawrence, the first British-born black cricketer to play for England, took 625 wickets in 280 matches during a 16-year career at Gloucestershire.

A minute’s silence was held before the start of the Division Two match against Derbyshire, with players wearing black armbands.

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Derbyshire took control after Gloucestershire were bowled out for 187, only captain Cameron Bancroft showing some resistance with a half-century, as Jack Morley took six for 55.

The visitors ended the day at 116 for two, with Harry Came unbeaten on 29.

Elsewhere in Division One, leaders Nottinghamshire reached 298 for six against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge.

Opener Ben Slater fell just short of a century on 96, while Ishan Kishan was 44 not out at stumps on his Nottinghamshire debut.

Champions Surrey took control against Worcestershire at New Road.

Worcestershire, who sit bottom of the table, won the toss and went in to bat, but were dismissed for 209, Matthew Waite making 68, as Matt Fisher and Jordan Clark both took three wickets.

At stumps, unbeaten Surrey had reached 47 without loss from 15 overs.

An unbeaten century from Charlie Allison, 101 not out, and a resolute 71 from Matt Critchley helped Essex make 292 for eight against Hampshire at Chelmsford, where Kyle Abbott took three wickets.

Somerset made a strong start against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, finishing the opening day 327 for three.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore (104) made a century, sharing a first-wicket stand of 186 with fellow opener Josh Davey (67) – only to then swiftly head back to the pavilion a couple of overs later.

In Division Two, Glamorgan ended at 305 for five against leaders Leicestershire at the County Ground.

Asa Tribe, 21, scored his maiden first-class century with 107, hitting 14 boundaries and one six.

Middlesex piled on the runs at Northamptonshire. An unbeaten 106 from Joe Cracknell and half-centuries from Leus du Plooy (66) and Luke Hollman (51) saw the visitors make 397 for eight.

Liam Guthrie picked up a six-wicket haul for 87 runs off his 19-over spell.