• County Championship round-up

Somerset among the runs on first day

Arul Suppiah celebrates reaching his century © PA Photos

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Arul Suppiah and James Hildreth made centuries as Somerset piled up the runs on day one of their County Championship clash with Surrey at the Oval.

An imposing top-order performance saw Suppiah (106) put on 63 with opening partner Alex Barrow (47) and 143 with Nick Compton (83) before Hildreth (120) took centre stage.

Craig Kieswetter added 49 as the visitors reached 441 for five, with Zander de Bruyn taking two for 34 against his former employers.

There was also a century for Warwickshire's Varun Chopra as the Bears continued their strong start to the season and added to reigning champions Lancashire's struggles by reaching 289 for four at Edgbaston.

Chopra (113) shared in an opening stand of 168 with Ian Westwood (70) and though Lancashire's bowlers battled back, led by Simon Kerrigan (two for 75), the hosts were still well in control of the game.

Sussex were 283 for eight against Worcestershire at New Road, thanks in the main to 84 from opener Chris Nash.

Ben Brown (42) and Naved Arif (46) put on 84 for the seventh wicket but Jack Shantry (three for 72) led a strong bowling performance.

In Division Two, Jon Clare and the economical Tim Groenewald took three wickets apiece as pace-setters Derbyshire bowled out rock-bottom Glamorgan for 236.

Clare took two early wickets on his way to figures of three for 45 while Groenwald picked up three for 34 in 22 overs, with the only resistance of note coming in a stand of 77 for the sixth wicket between Marcus North (79) and captain Mark Wallace (45). Derbyshire reached 22 without loss in reply.

Hampshire recovered from a poor morning session to reach 352 for five against Yorkshire at Headingley.

The visitors were six for two and 83 for four, Steven Patterson taking two wickets, before Simon Katich rebuilt with a superb 180 not out. He received strong support from first Sean Ervine (44) and then wicketkeeper Michael Bates (88).

Ramnaresh Sarwan's century helped Leicestershire to 323 for five against Essex at Grace Road.

The West Indies star put on 216 for the fourth wicket with Josh Cobb (80) before Wayne White carried on the momentum with an unbeaten 41 by the close. David Masters carried the fight for Essex with four for 57.

Rob Newton suffered a fractured bone just above his left wrist as Northamptonshire were made to fight hard to reach 244 for four against Kent at Canterbury.

David Sales and James Middlebrook added an unbroken 157 for the fifth wicket to boost Northants after they had slipped from 69 for one to 87 for four in the first hour after lunch, with Sales reaching a superb 104 not out by the close and Middlebrook unbeaten on 57.

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