Simon Harmer helps Essex into strong position against Gloucestershire

Simon Harmer picked up five wickets in a dominant Essex bowling display as they skittled Gloucestershire out for 136 on day one of their LV= County Championship match at Chelmsford.

The South African finished with figures of five for 44 with Graeme Van Buuren top scoring for the visitors with 36, Jamie Porter chipped in with a couple of wickets while Aaron Beard and Matt Critchley also claimed one each.

Essex also laid down the gauntlet with the bat after the innings break as Sir Alastair Cook and Tom Westley took them to a score of 127 for the loss of just one wicket at the close. Cook posted an unbeaten 61, including nine fours and Westley reached his half century to put them in a comfortable position heading into day two.

Somerset’s Lewis Goldsworthy notched a debut first-class hundred to help his side to a score of 297 for five at the close of day one against Lancashire at the Trafalgar Road Ground.

Goldsworthy walked to the crease with the West Country outfit on 77 for three and after Tom Lammonby departed, he was able to form a 145-run partnership with 18-year-old and fellow debutant James Rew to put ninth-placed Somerset in a healthy position going into the second day against the high flying Lancs side.

Tom Alsop helped himself to a century as Sussex finished day one on 407 for four against Leicestershire.

The 26-year-old finished on 150 before he was caught by Callum Parkinson off the bowling of Colin Ackermann but some bad news also came for the home side after captain Tom Haines retired injured after sustaining a fracture of a bone in his left hand which will keep him out for the next six weeks.

Durham’s Chris Rushworth was in fine form on the day of his 36th birthday after he picked up seven wickets on day one