Two men looking to restore their relationships with the England selectors experienced mixed fortunes in the opening round of County Championship fixtures. Sussex thrashed Middlesex by an innings and 127 at Hove, with Steve Magoffin and veteran Jon Lewis ckaiming fourteen cheap wickets between them and Matt Prior striking a rapid 125, his 28th first-class century. Eoin Morgan's decision to abandon his usual position in an IPL dugout for county cricket looked misguided when Lewis bowled him first ball on the first morning. He was caught behind off Anyin second time around. Steve Finn's 6-80 was the only bright spot for Chris Rogers' side.
At Trent Bridge it was a closer affair but Nottinghamshire came out on top against newly-promoted Lancashire. Tom Smith enjoyed a great all-round haul of 118 runs and a second-innings 5-56, Ashwell Prince reached three figures and James Anderson also recorded a five-for. However, Samit Patel and Riki Wessels each made 90s and all the bowlers contributed to the home side's 45-run victory.
In Division Two, Glamorgan stunned promotion favourites Surrey at The Oval. After Graeme Smith's team gained a slight first-innings advantage, Graeme Wagg (6-29) and Michael Hogan (4-31) demolished Surrey for 81 in the second innings, then Graham Rees and William Bragg polished off the 153 required without loss. Jim Allenby also started the 2014 season the way he ended 2013, with 4-47 and a half-century. Perhaps the Welsh are about to fulfil their potential after all. In the other game, Worcestershire had the better of a rain-affected draw against Hampshire. Moeen Ali made 69 but opener Daryl Mitchell, in his tenth season with Worcester, starred with 172 not out.
The rest of the couties join the fray on Sunday, but Yorkshire will be without both England batsmen Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow with broken digits. They'd better keep Gary Ballance wrapped up in cotton wool for the trip to Taunton! Of course I'd be perfectly happy with a Somerset triumph, although preferably with neither Nick Compton nor Craig Kieswetter attracting the attention of the ECB's Whitaker, Fraser and co! Sussex will look to continue their good form against Warwickshire while Notts, including Peter Siddle, might fancy their chances against a shellshocked Middlesex.
Durham entertain promoted Northants, who won't want Graham Onions to resume last summer's wicket-taking blitz, and Essex and Derbyshire open their 2014 accounts against each other at Chelmsford. Moeen Ali shoudl get some decent batting practice at home to Kent while Hampshire travel to Bristol with a certain degree of optimism.
