• County Championship round-up

Bell returns to form against Durham

Ian Bell was unbeaten on 59 at Edgbaston © Getty Images

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A first glimpse of form from Ian Bell restored some order at Edgbaston, where 15 wickets fell on the first day of Warwickshire's County Championship meeting with Durham.

After scoring only 134 runs in nine Test innings against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Bell made an unbeaten 59 in the home side's struggle to 116 for five in reply to Durham's 163.

Watched by England batting coach Graham Thorpe, Bell gradually imposed his quality after Warwickshire had lost four wickets for 14, including that of England team-mate Jonathan Trott. Darren Maddy was the only other Warwickshire man in double figures with 35, matching Durham's top-scorer Ben Stokes.

England seamer James Anderson survived an injury scare in his first County Championship appearance of the season while international team-mates Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann both risked dissent charges on an eventful first day between Division One rivals Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.

Lancashire paceman Anderson was taken to hospital for X-rays after sustaining two blows to his right thumb in the morning session, but got away with bruising instead of the feared fracture and was able to bowl again in the afternoon. He spent two further periods off the field as the game progressed, however, receiving ice treatment and applying strapping to the affected hand at the start of the evening's play.

Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire duo Broad and Swann, also making their first appearances of the season, both reacted less than magnanimously after being given out to Simon Kerrigan. Broad, fit again after a calf injury, contested a bat-pad catch by Steven Croft after he was dismissed for a golden duck, while Swann lingered at the crease after being given lbw, suggesting he had the hit the ball.

A fourth England international, Samit Patel, had a more satisfactory day - pushing his case for the first Test against the West Indies on May 17 with 69 in his side's 169 all out. The hosts lost Paul Horton for 24 in the last over before stumps as they reached 48 for one.

South Africa batsman Alviro Petersen struck a superb 145 against his old county Glamorgan but Essex threw away the early initiative on the first day of their Division Two game at Cardiff.

After Essex were asked to bat England opener Alastair Cook could only make nine in his first championship match of the season and his fellow international Ravi Bopara was then out for a third-ball duck. Essex declared their innings on 259 for nine but Glamorgan saw out the remaining three overs to reach stumps on one without loss.

Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen's first century in almost a year helped his side to a strong position against Gloucestershire as they reached the close on 362 for nine. Madsen made 101 while Wes Durston added 68 and Dan Redfern 55, taking advantage of some sloppy fielding and poor bowling from Gloucestershire. Madsen and Durston were both given second lives early in their innings and the visitors paid the price.

Yorkshire recovered from 33 for three to finish the day on 329 for five against Leicestershire at Scarborough. With the club still reeling from the news of Ajmal Shahzad's imminent departure, they got off to a terrible start this morning as Joe Sayers, Phil Jaques and Joe Root all fell quickly. But Jonny Bairstow finished unbeaten on 141, his second century of the season, while Andrew Gale made 80 and Anthony McGrath was on 49 at the close.

Northamptonshire laboured to 218 all out against Hampshire, who were equally poor in reply as they reached stumps on 42 for three with Andrew Hall having taken two for nine off three overs.

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