1st Day Review
Division One
Glamorgan 198 (Elliot 84, Giles 6-44) vs Warwickshire 68-0
Edgbaston
The Champions will sleep soundly in their beds tonight after a good first day of the season. A feature of last season's success was the number of tosses that captain Nick Knight won, enabling the powerful batting line-up to make hay on numerous occasions. That Robert Croft won the toss here does not look as though it will make much difference though. Choosing to bat on a good pitch, Glamorgan had started well, mainly due to Aussie overseas player Elliott, who survived a confident caught behind appeal in the first over. He looked set to record the first century of the season when he was fourth out for 84, clean bowled by Ashley Giles. The England spinner was to finish with 6-44 as Glamorgan collapsed from 157-3 to 198 all out. Young Nick Warren would be happy with his 3-40 aswell. When Play was ended early due to bad light, Warwickshire had progressed to 68-0 and were confortably in control, Knight 41*. They will be looking to rack up the pressure tommorow.
Surrey vs Sussex 171-4
The Oval
Many people's favourites for the title this year, Surrey were forced to sit in the dressing rooms throughout the morning session with play not starting until after lunch. The 2003 Champions Sussex won the toss and decided to bat. 49 overs were bowled before play was curtailed early, but the honours were just about even with Sussex on 171-4, thanks to an unbroken 52 run stand for the fifth wicket between Yardy and England prospect Matt Prior(34 from 40 balls). Jimmy Ormond was the pick for Surrey, taking 2-29.
Hampshire 197 (Katich 72*) vs Gloucs 118-2 (Weston 66)
Rose Bowl
Hampshire won the toss and chose to bat first, but it looks like Shane Warne picked wrongly on the evidence of the first day's play. A solid opening partnership of 63 was followed by a collapse of 5 wickets for 22 with Katich looking on from the non strikers end. New signing Keving Pietersen was ruled out with injury, but the middle order was still quite strong and Warne must have been surprised to be at the crease at 109-6. He managed to stick around for a while, but the FC century wil have to wait, and Katich was left high and dry on 72 as Hampshire were all out for 197. Gloucs opening pair proceeded to add 80 with Craig Spearman (34) strangely being outscored by Weston. Spearman's dismissal brought in Kadeer Ali, for whom this season must surely be a last chance saloon, and Weston also fell late in the day.
Performance of the Day -Ashley Giles 6-44
