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County Championship Division Two: Masters takes seven for Essex

- Masters of Essex celebrates the wicket of Shaaiq Choudhry of Worcestershire during day three of the LV County Championship Division Two game
Image: David Masters took 7-52 as Essex bowled out Worcestershire for 230

Essex edged closer still to the Specsavers County Championship Division Two crown as they bowled Worcestershire out for 230 on day one at Chelmsford - David Masters taking 7-52.

Masters took each of the first five wickets to fall - including Brett D'Oliveira (20), Tom Fell (0) and Joe Clarke (0) in the same over - as Worcestershire crumbled to 48-5.

George Rhodes (59) and Ben Cox (63) led the recovery with fifties, and when Joe Leach (1-18) took the wicket of Nick Browne for a nine-ball duck early in Essex's reply, things were looking up for the visitors.

But England skipper Alastair Cook (43no) and Tom Westley (58no) put on an unbroken second wicket stand of 110 to see the hosts safely through to stumps.

A win over Worcestershire would put Essex in a commanding position with two games left to play, as they currently lead second-placed Kent by 24 points.

However, Kent also dominated day one of their clash with Sussex on the south coast at Hove, skittling the hosts out for 180 before closing on 211-5 with a lead on 31.

Sam Billings piling on the runs for Kent
Image: Sam Billings hit a half century for Kent on day one against Sussex

Sussex slipped to 9-3 within the first seven overs of play - Darren Stevens (2-36) taking two early wickets. Hardus Viljoen (3-70) then ran through the Sussex middle order, though Ben Brown hit a quickfire 54 off 47 balls to add a bit of gloss to their score.

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In reply, Sam Billings cracked 64 off 80 balls, but fell to David Wiese (1-39) shortly before stumps.

Ben Duckett continued his fine form for Northamptonshire as he hit 80 on day one against Glamorgan.

Ben Duckett
Image: Ben Duckett was in the runs again for Northamptonshire against Glamorgan

Duckett shared in a 140-run opening stand with Rob Newton (78) before being bowled by Kiran Carslon.

It was to be the first of five strikes for Carlson (5-28) as the hosts collapsed from 203-2 to 269 all out. Glamorgan were 23-0 at the close of play after 11 overs of their reply.

Ben Slater hit 110, but no other batsman managed more than 36, as bottom-of-the-table Derbyshire were bowled out for 242 by Gloucestershire on day one.

Image: Ben Slater hit a hundred for Derbyshire on day one against Gloucestershire

Slater put on 91 for the first wicket with Billy Godleman (31) and 78 with Neil Broom (36) for the fourth wicket, but all fell victim to the impressive Craig Miles (4-30).

Gloucestershire lost their skipper, Gareth Roderick, for four in the 12 overs bowled before stumps, as they closed on 27-1.

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