Alastair Cook in the runs as Essex make strong start against Somerset

Alastair Cook rediscovered the sort of form that had eluded him this season, but fell four runs short of the 63rd first-class century of his career on the first day of the day-night match between Essex and Somerset.

The former England captain was on 96 when his bid to reach three figures for the first time for a year in the Specsavers County Championship ended in failure. He went to whip Dom Bess through midwicket but was trapped lbw.

Bess bowled unchanged from the River End at Chelmsford from the 20th over to the 88th, and finished the first day with figures of two for 74 as Essex reached the close on 298 for four.

At Scarborough, Jonny Tattersall’s maiden first-class fifty in his second game led an evening fightback for Yorkshire against leaders Surrey.

Surrey claimed four wickets during the afternoon to leave Yorkshire 166 for six after electing to bat on a pacy North Marine Road pitch.

But they struck only twice more as the hosts reached the close at 299 for eight from 96 overs.

Elsewhere in Division One, Chris Nash registered his first century for Nottinghamshire on the opening day of their match against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge.

Nash made 139 as the hosts reached stumps on 336 for five.

Jake Libby (88) and Samit Patel (76) also posted their highest scores of the season as the home side made the most of favourable batting conditions.

At Old Trafford, James Vince hit 103 to give Hampshire control of their match against Lancashire.

Captain Vince won the toss and elected to bat first – and it paid off as the visitors ended day one on 302 for six.

In Division Two, Jonathan Trott scored an unbeaten century to put Warwickshire in a strong position on 297 for five after the opening day of their day-night match against Durham.

The 37-year-old displayed patience at the crease to score his second hundred of the season at Emirates Riverside.

Matt Salisbury led the way for Durham with the ball, taking three wickets on a frustrating day in the field for the home side.

At Derby, Wayne Madsen reached a batting milestone for Derbyshire but it was Leicestershire who took the honours on the opening day of the floodlight match.

Madsen completed 14,000 runs in all cricket for the county during his 80 but the home side were bowled out for 245, with former Derbyshire spinner Callum Parkinson taking three for 50.

Leicestershire skipper Paul Horton made an unbeaten 48 out of the visitors’ reply of 82 without loss, although they have lost Harry Dearden for the match after he failed a concussion test.

Glamorgan’s bowlers again made short work of the opposition’s lower order to take the upper hand in their clash with Northamptonshire.

Having taken Derbyshire’s last five first-innings wickets for five in last week’s draw in Division Two, they took five for six this time around to bowl the visitors out for 281 in Cardiff.

Timm van der Gugten took five for 45 and will begin the second innings on a hat-trick, while Glamorgan then reached 21 without loss in reply.

At Canterbury, all-rounder Grant Stewart scored a useful 38 and recorded career-best bowling figures of five for 21 as Kent dominated the opening day of their pink ball clash with Middlesex.

The visitors, who started their reply to Kent’s 241 all out at 8pm, limped in at stumps on 54 for nine and having found no answer to Stewart’s right-arm swing on a day when 19 wickets fell.