County Championship 2025, round 1 live blog: Live score, match updates and team news

Well, what a first round of action for the summer! Sun out, record broken, matches down to the wire, get ready to go again at the end of the week!

That's it, Middlesex can't get over the line. They fought hard after losing early wickets in their second innings but Lancashire hold on at the end with two wickets in hand. What a match!

Still Middlesex toil. Brookes has a brief shout as his hat-trick ball clips the pad but it's well down the leg side. Can Middlesex find another two moments of magic?

Okay I'll eat my words, Henry Brookes has taken two in two and suddenly Middlesex are two away!

One match still left in action, Lancashire six wickets down chasing another 65 runs to win at Lord's. Draw surely inevitable?

A thrilling start to the season at Somerset but they can't find the final wicket to seal the victory. 

Jack Leach bowls the final over, his 65th of the innings but can't find a way through Tom Hinley's defences. What a result for Worcestershire, and huge from Hinley playing just his second first-class match with everyone round the bat at the end.

Surrey have pulled off what might have been a tall task at the beginning of the day. Half centuries from Sibley and Foakes underpin a decent second innings batting effort, but a wobble from the defending champions first up.

Tom Taylor goes for 12 and No.11 Tom Hinley has to bat out the dying moments of the day. Time slipping away for a result.

Rob Yates and Sam Hain bat out the overs for Warwickshire and honours even is declared. Strong batting performances from both sides.

An eight-wicket victory wrapped up for Nottinghamshire, set-up by Tongue's five-for earlier today and built by a strong batting performance. Points on the board at Trent Bridge.

A peach from Jamie Porter ends Ben Foakes stay at the crease just after he reached a half-century. Surrey are five down now but they trail by just 19. Can they pull off the draw?

Nottinghamshire need just 40 more runs to claim victory over Durham, despite losing two early wickets.

At Lord's, Lancashire have lost four wickets in 11 overs, with the equation 169 runs to win, or six wickets now for a Middlesex home victory.

Five wickets for Josh Tongue on his Notts debut – trapping Colin Ackermann for 124 to seal his five-for. That sets up a fourth innings chase of 89 for the Notts batters to target.

Sometimes scoring a triple hundred just isn't enough. It's clearly not for Tom Banton, who's turning his arm over at Taunton as Somerset struggle to get through Worcestershire's lower order. 

Only one wicket has fallen today, with Worcestershire still trailing by 121 runs – Brett D'Oliveira is unbeaten on 120 off 335  balls.

Colin Ackermann is now a lone point of resistance for Durham, as Josh Tongue rips through the lower order. He broke a strong sixth wicket partnership by bowling Tom Clark for 62 off the first ball of his 19th over, before dismissing George Drissell with the last ball of the over. After an intervening over from Farhan Ahmed, he then bowled Ben Raine with his first ball. 

Durham now have only two wickets in hand and lead by 78. Notts victory pending?

Warwickshire will have to negotiate a session and a half to secure a draw at Edgbaston, with Sussex declaring with a lead of 388. There's not time for Tom Alsop to complete his hundred, he finishes unbeaten on 82.

A period of calm after the break. 

Lancashire are ticking over at Lord's, Surrey are still three wickets down, and Somerset and Nottinghamshire are still trying to make inroads. The calm before the storm?

That's first session done and dusted for today, here's a round-up of the equations needed.

Surrey are three wickets down and trail Somerset by 129 runs.

Durham trail Notts by 24 runs with five wickets remaining, Colin Ackermann unbeaten on 73.

Somerset still need four wickets to seal the deal against Worcestershire, who need 179 to force a fourth innings.

Sussex lead Warwickshire by 288 runs with four wickets remaining.

Middlesex were all-out for 407 on the stroke of Lunch, Lancashire will resume needing 309 runs to win.

Somerset began the day needing just five wickets for victory. As we close in on half an hour to go until Lunch, Worcestershire still have four wickets in hand.

Adam Finch has been the only wicket to fall so far this morning, and Brett D'Oliveira is only 11 runs from a 13th first-class hundred. Somerset being made to play the long game.

A quicker deliver from Shane Snater sees off Ollie Pope! An aggressive drive from Pope and he nicks off behind - bang bang and Essex are on top.

While most inroads have come slowly this morning, Pennington has stuck twice for Notts, getting both Ollie Robinson and Will Rhodes. Notts are five wickets away from victory while Durham need 75 to avoid an innings defeat.

Simon Harmer has finally broken the  Surrey opening partnership - pinning Rory Burns in front. Burns isn't happy but it looks like it struck him in front of middle and leg. Just as the draw was starting to look inevitable... 

The only Division Two action today will be at Lord's after Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Kent all wrapped up victories yesterday. Middlesex were in trouble on day three when Tom Bailey reduced them to 7-3, but a century from Max Holden has kept them alive in the game. They're looking to extend their lead past 200, while Lancashire need four wickets to get batting again.

Hampshire sealed a five-wicket win over Yorkshire at Utilita Bowl yesterday to ink in the first result of the top division. Today, eyes will be fixed on Chelmsford as Essex look to blitz through Surrey's star-studded lineup to strike an early blow to their four-peat campaign. 

Elsewhere, Sussex will be eying up a declaration against Warwickshire, Durham face an uphill battle to cling on against Notts, and Somerset need just five wickets to seal memorable win. 

After a sunny start to the first Championship round of the season, five matches are still alive going into the final day's play. While the talk of the weekend was Tom Banton's mammoth innings, Kent claimed the first win of the season and Essex set-up an intriguing final day against title favourites Surrey. Stay tuned to see how the remaining matches play out.

There's a few interesting finishes in store tomorrow, with all of Essex, Sussex, Lancs and Notts hopeful but not certain of victory. 

Somerset need five more Worcestershire wickets, so you'd imagine it's a matter of when rather than if there.

See you then.

Leicestershire seal a ten-wicket win in the extra half-hour on day three, securing themselves a Monday off. Lucky them!

They promoted Rehan Ahmed to open and have a hit - very England of them - but it was Sol Budinger who did the damage, finishing with 32 off 20.

Sussex lead by 200 at stumps. They haven't exactly floored it yet, but will face a decision tomorrow over if and when to pull out and try and take 10 Warwickshire wickets.

Durham also need to balance caution and attack. They trail by 87 runs three wickets down, and will know that building a lead will aid their chances of staving off a Notts chase.

Ben Foakes' fighting innings and some help from the tail helped Surrey avoid complete disaster, but they were still made to follow on by Essex and reached stumps still trailing by over 200. They have all ten wickets in hand, but still need to bat for most of tomorrow to secure a draw. Against Simon Harmer on a last-day pitch, it's not a given.

Two late wickets at Lord's have kept Lancashire's hopes of victory alive. Will Williams dismissed Ben Geddes for 74 to end a stand that had passed 150 and Blak Cullen followed soon after.

Middlesex end the day six down and leading by 189 with Max Holden 135 not out. Get him early, and perhaps Lancashire can run through the tail and chase down a total.

Leicestershire have wrapped up Glamorgan's second innings for 244 and require 46 to win. They were denied an innings victory by a 99-run stand between Kiran Carlson (113) and Andy Gorvin (50) but they should still be able to wrap things up this evening.

Heartbreak for Foakes, who finishes unbeaten on 92 with Kemar Roach pinned lbw. Still, he's done an exceptional job marshalling the tail - a criticism of him at times during his England career - and has put Surrey in a position from which they should draw the game, though the job is not done yet.

Essex lead by 217 runs and have enforced the follow on.

James Taylor having become the third lower-order Surrey batter to make an important contribution. Jordan Clark added 45, Matthew Fisher 30 and Taylor 26. It's been crucial in lifting Surrey from 180-6 past 350, and while the follow on is still a distance away, you'd back them to secure a draw now.

The main man has been Foakes, who is 84 not out with Kemar Roach for company. Can he reach three figures in the company of the No.11?

Fergus O'Neill was rated by some of those in the know (Yas, basically) as one of the off-season's shrewdest signings, the right-armer developing a reputation as the Australian Sam Cook for his non-express excellence.

He's claimed two early wickets, including Emilio Gay for a duck for the second time in the match. Having moved from Northants last season, Gay will be glad to see the back of O'Neill and attempt to get back on track next week.

The sun is beating down and some players are making sure to cash in. Ben Foakes is 82*, while Middlesex's fightback has continued, Max Holden passing his hundred as he and debutant Ben Geddes have put on a century stand. Worcestershire's Adam Hose and Brett D'Oliveira are another pair who have made fifties, though Somerset, still leading by 270, won't be worried yet.

Tom Prest falls at the last, but he's done his job, hitting 57 to see his side to the brink of victory over Yorkshire. The scores were level when he was dismissed by Dom Bess. A Ben Brown single from his first ball is all that's needed. In truth, the game was decided on the first day, when Yorkshire's batters all got in and got out to fold for 121. They largely matched Hampshire from then on, especially Adam Lyth, who was last out for 106 in their second batting effort, but the damage was done.

An excellent innings comes to an end on 125, Lyndon James having propelled Notts to 579. A game which had been in the balance when he came in is now under Notts' command. Durham trail by 201, and need to bat for most of the rest of the game to secure a draw.

The Foxes need three wickets to bowl out Glamorgan, with the only point of interest being whether they will be made to bat again. Kiran Carlson is doing his best to make sure they do, reaching tea on 77* having cut the deficit to 36.

Hampshire halted their mini-wobble with a mini-stand of 26 between Fletcha Middleton and Tom Prest, but the former has fallen just before the break to leave 62 needed with six wickets in hand in the final session. It's an equation that sounds simpler than it's proving in practice.

That didn't take long! Caleb Jewell smashes his second half-century at better than a run a ball in the game, and a target of 93 has been knocked off within 20 overs.

Matt Fisher is the latest to go, but he resisted well for his 30. Surrey still trail by 275 and look unlikely to avoid he follow on, but will still feel they've made decent progress towards securing a draw on a pitch without too many demons.

There's an intriguing game unfolding at Lord's. Middlesex were 7-3 and fearing an ignominious innings defeat. Now they are 171-4, leading by 72, and with Max Holden, who made 69 in the first innings, unbeaten on 83*.

That game at Sussex has reached the interval, as has Somerset's game against Worcestershire, where the hosts have had to work harder in the second innings but are six wickets away from an innings win. 

Has a lower-order collapse handed Sussex an opening at Edgbaston? Warwickshire were 427-6 and cruising, perhaps even dreaming of a fifth batting bonus point. They've been bowled out for 454, some thwacking from No.11 Vishwa Fernando cutting the deficit to 74. With a session left today, will Sussex look to go hard and dangle a carrot at some point tomorrow?

When Matt Potts took two wickets in two balls towards the start of the session, Durham would have hoped to wrap up the Notts innings quickly and haul in the deficit. Instead, a half-century for Josh Tongue, in partnership with Lyndon James, has seen them push on towards 550. Tongue is out now, but James is one blow away from his fifth first-class hundred.

Hampshire's mini-slide is in danger of becoming a regular-sized slide, Toby Albert the latest to go for 5. They still need 88 to win. Yorkshire need seven wickets.

Hampshire had looked serene in chasing 148, Mark Stoneman and Fletcha Middleton seeing off the new ball. But two wickets in quick succession have them 53-2. Another couple soon and things could get interesting.

They could hardly have fared any worse, but Worcestershire have put up an improved showing with the bat in the face of a massive deficit, passing their first innings score just four down. Jack Leach has taken three of those wickets, including half-centurion Kashif Ali.