2018 County Championship round-up, round 1: Bowlers' dominance at the Old Trafford

Division One:

Abbott steals the victory in the 2nd innings

Hampshire weren't really off to a great start losing wicket-keeper Lewis McManus early to captain Joe Leach. However, they picked on from there to add a total of 290 runs on the board with skipper James Vince and Gareth Barg at the top with 75 runs each. At the end of Worcestershire's 1st innings, they were trailing by 79 runs with Ben Cox's 65 as their highest individual score.

The Hampshires were dominant in the 2nd innings despite Leach picking Jimmy Adams, Sam Northeast and Liam Dawson at crucial stages. Going back at a golden duck in first innings, Kyle Abbott hit back with a half-century and 4 more wickets to his name, while he had already picked 3 wickets earlier. The captains have been the key players for the team although Kent's star Sam Northeast and overseas signing Hashim Amla haven't quite announced their arrival in the Hampshire team and Joe Clarke is yet to shine this season.

Hampshire won by 196 runs (Vince - 75 & 12, Barg - 75 & 10, Abbott - 7/90, Edwards - 5/78)

Ball and Gurney's career bests win it for Notts

It was the bowlers' match at Old Trafford with the sheer dominance of Ball-Gurney and Onions-Mennie among others. In the first innings, the highest individual score overall couldn't reach the half-century mark. Replying for Nottinghamshire's 158, Lancashire produced a lead of 64. Tom Bailey, Keaton Jennings and the captain Liam Livingstone shared 3 wickets each.

The match was taken away from the Lancashires pretty early in the 2nd innings as a better part of their batting line-up were out before they got off their marks, courtesy two lethal Nott pacers. While the Notts had to score a mere 10 runs to seal the opponent's fate, it took them six batsmen to do so. Mennie and Onions sent back 4 of their batsmen within 5 overs of the second innings.

Nottinghamshire won by 6 wickets (Vilas - 49 & 6, Jennings - 11 & 27, Ball - 9/57, Gurney - 8/43)

Headingley never allowed a ball to be bowled in the match between Yorkshire and Essex, due to continual showers. The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Division Two:

Wiese and Stone shine in a run feast at Edgbaston

David Wiese was an absolute star in the first innings as he picked up 4/56 and scored 106 runs. The runs were flowing in slowly but constantly for the Warwickshire team after an initial firing from Ian Bell. Later, wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose added 81 runs more to the board. The Sussex returned stronger with captain Ben Brown's 91 and Wiese's quick century. Despite the flood of runs for the Sussex, Oli Stone managed to pick 8/80. Warwickshire didn't collapse, however, and kept going for 35 overs with Dominic Sibley's unbeaten 42 runs before the match was finally drawn.

Match was drawn (Bell - 70 & 10, Stone - 8/80, Wiese - 106, Sharma - 5/152)

Wickets go the Matt way as Kent misses its stars

Gloucestershire got off to a great start after they put Kent to batting, winning the toss. They were all out within 19 overs, adding only 64 runs to the board. Matt Taylor picked 4 wickets, Worrall 3 and Miles 2. With the help of Gareth Roderick's 51, Gloucestershire managed to put up a lead of 46 runs as Matt Henry picked up 4 wickets for Kents.

Kents were back stronger in the second innings and Daniel Bell-Drummond and Zak Crawley contributed the maximum to accumulate a total of 153. A slow partnership between Roderick and James Bracey worth 78 led the Gloucestershire team to a comfortable win with 5 wickets left.

Gloucestershire won by 5 wickets (Roderick - 51 & 26, Howell - 0 & 52, Taylor - 6/69, Worrall - 4/45)

James Harris leads Middlesex to its first victory

After scoring 214 runs in the first innings with Harris' 46 atop, Middlesex bowled out Northamptonshire for 74 runs. While four batsmen scored over 30 for Middlesex, 20 was the highest individual score for the Northants. In the second innings, Middlesex went a little slower adding 159 while Procter and Bracewell picked up 3 wickets each.

While Rob Newton got off a good start, no other batsmen could set up a decent partnership with him. Murtagh and Harris shared 8 wickets between themselves reducing the Northants to 142 in the 2nd innings.

Middlesex won by 160 runs (Harris - 46 & 18, Stirling - 44 & 1, Harris - 9/48, Murtagh - 8/63)