Groenewald opens his shoulders

Warwickshire were indebted to a blitzkrieg knock of 76 from Timothy Groenewald and a more sedate, watchful fifty from Moeen Ali on the first day against Durham at Chester-le-Street. The visitors, moving along nicely at 139 for 2, lost a flurry of wickets and were stumbling precariously at 188 for 6 before Groenewald's savage innings. In the space of 46 balls, he smashed 13 fours and cleared the boundary twice, as Warwickshire were eventually dismissed for 314. Buoyed by their late spurt of runs, their bowlers then nipped out three Durham wickets who went to stumps 261 runs behind.

Nottinghamshire ended the first day on top against Kent owing to hundreds from Stephen Fleming and David Hussey who took the hosts to 381 for 5 at Trent Bridge. Nottinghamshire were in a spot of trouble after Fleming, the captain, chose to bat as Kent reduced them to 61 for 3. Fleming and Hussey were resolute, however, staging a fighting fourth-wicket partnership of 164. It was Hussey's fourth hundred of the season, and he remains unbeaten on his highest score thus far, 156.

A magnificent unbeaten 188 from HD Ackerman led the way for Leicestershire on the opening day at Northampton against Northamptonshire. Choosing to bat, Leicestershire soon lost both their openers and were struggling at 48 for 2. Enter Ackerman, who received excellent support from John Sadler (69), the 24-year-old left hander. The pair put on 180 for the third wicket before Monty Panesar removed Sadler and, four balls later, Darren Maddy too. Paul Nixon batted with his customary steadfastness, remaining unbeaten on 70 at the close as the visitors closed on 383 for 4.

In a western encounter at Taunton, Gloucestershire restricted the hosts Somerset to 315 for 6 thanks to a couple of wickets apiece for Jon Lewis and Alex Gidman. Matthew Wood, the Somerset opener, was cruising along smoothly before Lewis made the breakthrough - quite literally, bowling him. And though there were contributions from the middle-order, most notably 71 from James Hildreth, no batsman could capitalise.