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County Championship Division Two round-up: Prince lifts Lancashire

Ashwell Prince of Lancashire
Image: Ashwell Prince: Hit 106 to lift Lancashire against Kent at Old Trafford

Ashwell Prince made 106 as Lancashire reached 317-5 on day one of their LV= County Championship Division Two match against Kent at Old Trafford.

Prince's effort was critical in holding the hosts' innings together, coming to the crease at 38-2 and sharing stands of 98, 75 and 75 with Paul Horton, Steven Croft and Alex Davies respetively before he was caught off the bowling of Mitch Claydon.

Luis Reece (18) and Alviro Petersen (0) were the men to go before lunch - both to Matt Coles. 

Reece was caught by Darren Stevens at 38-1 and he was followed back into the pavilion next ball by Petersen, who nicked behind to Sam Billings. 

Opener Horton made 71 before handing Billings his second catch off Adam Riley and Coles had his third wicket to remove Croft (37).

Once Prince fell at 286-5, Davies (47no) reached stumps alongside Jordan Clark (16) to complete a solid day for Lancashire.

Kevin Pietersen made 32 as Surrey reached the close 293-5 on day one of their Division Two clash with Essex, becoming the fastest batsman to reach 1,000 first-class runs for Surrey in the process. 

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Pietersen was relatively circumspect, taking 78 balls before he was trapped in front by Jesse Ryder, but was part of a solid effort by Surrey's top order, albeit without anyone capitalising with a century.

Having been inserted by their visitors, Zafar Ansari and Rory Burns put on 61 for the first wicket before Ansari was trapped in front by James Porter. 

That was the only success for Essex before lunch and Burns went on to make 78 before he was caught by Greg Smith off Monty Panesar. 

Kumar Sangakkara (52) was then lbw to Ryder, allowing Pietersen to take centre stage.

But it was Steven Davies who held Surrey together, reaching stumps unbeaten on 69 alongside Gary Wilson (23no) after Jason Roy had fallen to a two-ball duck as Ryder's third leg before victim.

Gloucestershire wasted a solid start at the County Ground after losing their last seven wickets for 75 runs to be dismissed for 275 on day one against Derbyshire.

Derbyshire openers Ben Slater and Billy Godleman then survived six overs before the close to reach 24-0 in reply.

Openers Will Tavare and Chris Dent were the two to fall before lunch, Dent looking fluent for his 26-ball 22 before he was caught behind off Tony Palladino. 

Tavare made 48 before Shiv Thakor had him caught by Wayne Madsen at 98-2, leaving Gareth Roderick and Peter Handscomb to see the hosts to the first break. 

Both of those batsmen then fell in the afternoon session, Roderick hitting 76 before being removed by Mark Footit. Handscomb was bowled by Tom Taylor for 17, but despite getting contributions from all of their top seven, no one could go on to make a big score.

Hamish Marshall (41) was in dogged mood before he was trapped by Alex Hughes and the lower order offered little as the innings petered out.

Rob Newton (71) top-scored for Northants on a difficult opening day against Leicestershire as they were dismissed for 251 shortly after tea on day one at Grace Road. 

Leicestershire then reached 102-1 in reply - Angus Robson 52 not out after an 83-run opening stand with Dan Redfern.

Redfern made 40 before being removed by Azharullah having ended Northants' innings with his only delivery, bowling Olly Stone for 19.

Two wickets in two balls from Ben Raine (4-55) was the pick of the Leicestershire bowlers, claiming two wickets in the first session two more in the afternoon as Newton provided the only serious resistance. 

Raine had opener Stephen Peters caught by Neil Pinner - his third catch of the morning after Richard Levi (22) and Alex Wakely (10) had earlier fallen to Clint McKay and Charlie Shreck respectively - before clean bowling Rob Keogh next ball to leave the visitors 93-4. 

David Willey's 36 offered some lower-order resistance, but Northants' total looks below par heading into day two.

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