Jamie Smith produced the perfect dress rehearsal for his England debut on day one of Surrey’s top-of-the-table Vitality County Championship clash with Essex.
Named on Sunday morning as the only wicketkeeper in England’s 14-man squad for the first Test against the West Indies a week on Wednesday, Smith struck his second century of the season.
The 23-year-old made exactly 100 with two sixes and 14 fours as the hosts reached 248 for eight on a rain-shortened day at The Oval.
Keaton Jennings’ fourth hundred of the campaign steered Lancashire to 344 for eight against Nottinghamshire at Southport.
The England batter made an unbeaten 183 off 258 balls after the visitors had threatened to take charge following lunch.
Lyndon James shone with three for 53 as a sell-out crowd were denied the opportunity of seeing James Anderson in action for Lancashire one more time.
Hampshire skipper James Vince made his second century in a week against Kent at Utilita Bowl.
Vince followed up an unbeaten 166 against Warwickshire last week with 149 not out as Hampshire recovered from 56 for three to end the day 310 for three.
Wicketkeeper-batter Ben Brown also reached three figures late in the day to finish on an unbeaten 106.
Warwickshire fought back against Somerset at Taunton with Michael Burgess’ century taking them to 373 for eight.
Number eight batter Burgess made an unbeaten 126 from 167 balls as the Bears recovered from 40 for four and 145 for six.
Chris Woakes contributed 39 to an eighth-wicket stand of 110 after Somerset seamer Migael Pretorius had taken four for 72.
Wickets clattered at Chester-le-Street as Durham were dismissed for 190, England’s Test captain Ben Stokes top scoring with 56.
Stokes then took one for 23 from eight overs as Worcestershire were bowled out for 112 in reply. Matthew Potts (four for 29) and Ben Raine (three for 33) took the plaudits.
Durham reached 33 for three at the close to carve out a lead of 111.
In Division Two, Sussex’s Ollie Robinson bounced back from being overlooked for England’s Test squad against Northamptonshire.
Robinson claimed four for 42 as the hosts were dismissed for 97 on an eventful day at Northampton.
On a day which saw 22 wickets fall, Sussex had themselves been bowled out for 143 – Jack White taking four for 23 as the visitors lost six wickets for 47 in 19 overs – and closed at 83 for two and a lead of 129.
Yorkshire’s Sri Lanka pace bowler Vishwa Fernando helped skittle Derbyshire for 76 at Chesterfield.
Fernando took five for 30 and Jordan Thompson claimed four for 31 as Derbyshire subsided on a challenging surface in less than 28 overs.
Yorkshire turned the screw with James Wharton racing to a maiden first-class hundred from only 101 balls.
When bad light ended play, Wharton was 116 not out and Johnny Tattersall unbeaten on 41 with Yorkshire 283 for five, a commanding lead of 207.
Ben Mike’s career-best spell of five for 22 enabled Leicestershire to dismiss Middlesex for 86.
Loan signing Ben Green also returned personal-best figures of four for 28, with only Leus Du Plooy (28) and Sam Robson (10) reaching double figures.
Leicestershire had earlier made 179 – Lewis Goldsworthy top scoring with 41 – and reached stumps at 40 for one in their second innings, 133 ahead.
Gloucestershire recovered from 88 for eight at lunch to post 179 in their first innings against Glamorgan at Cheltenham.
Marchant de Lange (46 not out) shared a record-breaking last-wicket stand of 75 with Ajeet Singh Dale (32) as Glamorgan’s Timm van der Gugten returned season-best figures of five for 59.
Glamorgan finished an astonishing day 133 for seven, with Gloucestershire’s overseas all-rounder Beau Webster enjoying a three-wicket burst in 12 balls.