Alex Davies

Fellow opener Rob Yates also cracked 191 in an extraordinary first-wicket partnership of 343 with outstanding skipper Davies, whose unbeaten 226 came from 274 balls with 25 fours and three sixes.

To compound the misery for promoted Durham, who had won the toss, Will Rhodes reached 60 not out to take the hosts past maximum batting points and to 490 for one before the close.

Champions Surrey took command against Somerset at The Oval despite a century from Tom Lammonby.

Lammonby (100) and Matt Renshaw (87) got Somerset off to a fine start by putting on 178 for the second wicket but the loss of seven wickets for 20 runs undermined their efforts.

Captain Lewis Gregory (50) lifted the score to 285 but Cameron Steel (four for 50) wrapped up the innings before Surrey openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley chiselled 42 off the lead without loss.

Joe Clarke continued his excellent start to the season with another century as Nottinghamshire closed on 305 for six against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge.

Following up his ton against Essex last week, Clarke hit 105 and shared in a third-wicket stand of 133 with Ben Slater (70) as the hosts recovered from the loss of two early wickets.

Dean Elgar (120) scored his first Essex century and Matt Critchley (103no) also reached three figures against Kent at Chelmsford.

Jordan Cox added 67 and Michael Pepper 49 as the hosts amassed 421 for six at stumps.

Hampshire were 305 for six at the end of day one against Lancashire at the Utilita Bowl.

Liam Dawson was unbeaten on 61 after solid efforts from Tom Prest (85), James Vince (56) and Nick Gubbins (50).

Australia’s Nathan Lyon (two for 97) bowled 32 overs as Lancashire kept themselves in the game.

In Division Two, spinner Alex Thomson took a career-best seven for 65 as Derbyshire bowled out Glamorgan for 287 in Cardiff. Kiran Carlson was the hosts’ top-scorer with 74.

Derbyshire were 46 for one in response.

Emilio Gay’s unbeaten 165 helped Northamptonshire to 311 for three against Middlesex at Wantage Road. Captain Luke Procter added 73 in a second-wicket partnership of 189.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood’s 140 was the mainstay of Yorkshire’s 326 against Gloucestershire at Bristol. Jonathan Tattersall (58) and Matt Milnes (51) also contributed but Zaman Akhter’s five for 89 helped the hosts hit back before they ended the day on 28 for two.

Liam Trevaskis was 82 not out as Leicestershire closed on 326 for eight against Sussex at Grace Road. Rishi Patel (87) and Peter Handscomb (51) also hit half-centuries.

The trial of the Kookaburra ball, which has a flatter seam than its Dukes counterpart and tends to go softer earlier, in the opening two rounds has proved divisive and led to much higher scores than expected in the early season.

Warwickshire captain Alex Davies’ fantastic 149 underpinned his side’s 340 for four in their Division One clash against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl – but the opener was the only batter in the country to reach three figures on Friday.

Crawley edged to third slip for five in his first appearance of the season for Kent, who ended a rain-affected opening day on 111 for three after 39 overs against defending champions Surrey at Canterbury.

Daniel Bell-Drummond registered 70 before he was trapped in front by Tom Lawes and Daniel Worrall accounted for Crawley and fellow opener Ben Compton.

Four wickets for Shane Snater and three for England hopeful Sam Cook helped Essex skittle Lancashire for 146 at Chelmsford, where the hosts went to stumps on 68 for one with just 54 overs possible.

England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir snared the in-form Joe Clarke as Nottinghamshire were all out for 193 against Somerset at Taunton.

Craig Overton was the pick of the attack with three for 57 before a classy 70 not out from Sean Dickson led Somerset to 116 for one at the close.

Durham’s Ollie Robinson thrashed six fours and three sixes in a belligerent 55 off 43 balls but his side were all out for 244 against Worcestershire in a clash between the two promoted sides at Kidderminster.

Former West Indies captain Jason Holder took three wickets for Worcestershire, who reached 78 for four in reply.

In Division Two, Yorkshire were dismissed for 159 by Middlesex at Lord’s, where Root steered to gully for five while Brook made just three before nicking to second slip.

Middlesex slipped to 37 for two in reply but Mark Stoneman’s unbeaten 38 and Leus du Plooy’s 23 not out led the hosts to 84 without further loss, with 55.4 overs bowled in the day.

Half-centuries for Ben Charlesworth (62), Miles Hammond (56) and James Bracey (69) ushered Gloucestershire to 319 for eight against Sussex at Hove. Danny Lamb took three for 49 for the hosts.

Colin Ingram’s 69 not out rescued Glamorgan from 27 for four against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Ben Sanderson’s third wicket left the Welsh side on 96 for five but Ingram’s efforts and 50 from Dan Douthwaite helped them close on 203 for seven after 56.1 overs.

Leicestershire opener Marcus Harris’ unbeaten 77 got his side to 168 for two after 46 overs against Derbyshire at Derby.