Nine, ten, jack, Lancs lose their last three wickets for one run and are all out for 370. Over to you, Lees and McKinney.

More on working from The Oval, in case anyone is interested. You just buy a normal ticket and go to whichever area has been set aside for that purpose (the function room etc moves according to events). It is first come, first served, for a laptop and power point.

A couple of early wickets, leavering out yesterday’s set batsmen – Marcus Harris caught for 146 off Ben Raine up in at CLS; and Jake Libby bowled by Kent’s one-man-band Matt Milnes for 52.

The day’s first injury sub comes at Chester le Street where Sam Conners (side strain) has been replaced by young James Minto.

A loud thud and Jordan Clark is outraged that Simon Harmer is not given out lbw. Harmer holds his bat in the air unperturbed. Tom Lawes does up his bootlaces. Essex 332-6.

Enjoy Barney’s April poem and very funny Saturday rant:

Good morning Tim Maitland!

“You mentioned yesterday that Surrey had 5,000 plus at the Oval. While you’re there, please can you tell us whether Surrey are best-in-class at promoting their championship matches, or are other counties trying schemes as innovative as the work-from-home desks?”

I know Surrey have a zillion advantages, location, money, wealthy fans, yada yada, but they are fabulous at promoting the Championship and do the basics of making fans feel welcome so well. Working from the cricket is a great idea but I have no idea if any other club has such a scheme – please tell me if you know more. Seems a no brainer for the bigger stadiums.

The outfield is organised like a school circuits class – slip fielding to the right, stretches to the left, bowlers in the corner. Just chatted to Nick Howson from the Cricketer who was at Cardiff yesterday. He says Ian Holland was incredible, at one point bowling eight overs and only conceding one run.

The crowd spread on to the Oval outfield at lunch like a lapping wave, enjoying the picture-book day and entertained by Gus Atkinson’s first proper run out since the Boxing Day Test.

Atkinson opened the bowling against Essex from the pavilion end, that now familiar toes-together, baby-steps approach, an opening spell on the money but he had to wait until after 6pm for his reward - Michael Pepper bowled tifter and boots. The pitch was friendly and Dean Elgar (92) and Paul Walter, with an excellent 101, duly tucked in, adding 183 for the first wicket. Surrey’s bowlers clawed back in the afternoon leaving the match evenly poised.

Joe Root, too, was making his County Championship debut for the summer, Yorkshire cap pulled tight, scooping up a bread and butter edge from James Coles at first slip and trundling through five overs. Yorkshire’s bowlers were thwarted by a merry sixth-wicket partnership between Sussex’s Tom Price (93) and John Simpson - who reached his hundred off the day’s penultimate ball.

Josh Tongue grabbed five wickets at Trent Bridge, for the fourth time in just eight first-class games for Nottinghamshire, but Warwickshire kept their nerve. Tongue fired down some brutish balls, though Beau Webster may regret the whooping drive at a wide one which zipped into his own stumps. Ed Barnard, visibly pained from the non-striker’s end, went on to an impressive 134 not out, Chris Woakes made 64.

Zak Crawley batted prettily for 27 before he was subsumed into Kent’s dismal collapse to 99 for seven, after choosing to bat at New Road. The lower order spruced things up, Matt Milnes last man standing on an undefeated fifty. Beyers Swanepoel, belatedly in Worcestershire colours after his plane flight fiasco, grabbed three wickets.

Marcus Harris, with his second century of the season, once again propped up Lancashire, against Durham; and Kiran Carlson did the same as Glamorgan fought back against Leicestershire, until he set off too eagerly and was run out, scrambling back, for 95, flat on his face for five seconds of disbelief. Sean Dickson was also out just short of a century.

At the County Ground, Anuj Dal slipped in his run up, injuring his ankle, and had to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher – Luis Reece his injury replacement. Shoaib Bashir, playing in his third match of the season for Derbyshire and getting overs under his belt at last, picked up two wickets, but Miles Hammond starred for Gloucestershire with 140 not out.

DIVISION ONE

Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 334-7 v Leicestershire

Trent Bridge: Notts v Warwickshire 375-8

The Oval: Surrey v Essex 325-6

Headingley: Yorkshire v Sussex 373-6

DIVISION TWO

The County Ground: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire 287-6

Riverside: Durham v Lancashire 356-7

New Road: Worcestershire 94-1 v Kent 196

Good morning! There’s a queue outside the Hobbs Gate already. A huddle of caps and picnic bags in sight of the red-brick Surrey pavilion adorned with giant pictures of Rory Burns and Bryony Smith. It’s a happy sight this sunny morning.

Play starts here at The Oval, and around all the grounds at 11am, do join us for some Saturday cricket.