Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox made eye-catching debuts for Essex but it was Elgar's fellow South African Dane Paterson who stole the show with his five-for for Nottinghamshire on the opening day of the County Championship season at Trent Bridge. Opener Elgar , who retired from international cricket earlier this year, looked more than capable of filling the void left by Sir Alastair Cook, defying typical opening-day conditions with his impressive knock.
Heavy overnight rain meant a wet outfield and a delayed start until 3.40pm, with Division Two title favourites Yorkshire opting to bowl upon winning the toss. The Foxes, led by fringe Test left-hander Harris, started brightly as they reached 89-1 but skilful Hill set about changing the course of proceedings and left the close-of-play score at 164-5 from 46 overs. Sam Northeast became the summer's first centurion in Glamorgan's Division Two clash with hosts Middlesex at Lord's.