Batsmen stand up, McKay bags six

Openers Adam Lyth and Sam Robson both sent a timely reminder to England selectors with centuries in the latest round of county matches, while antipodean quicks Clint McKay and Neil Wagner starred with six wickets apiece.

Scorecards: All the numbers from the six county matches 

England's batting line-up for the first Test of the summer against Sri Lanka at Headingley remains unclear, with incumbents Alex Hales (opener) and Nick Compton (No.3) both looking for early season runs to retain their place in the side.

The shock retirement of James Taylor last week also means his spot at No.5 will need to be filled for the first of three Tests against the Sri Lankans, starting on May 19.

Quick Single: Medical condition forces Taylor to retire 

Lyth and Robson, two of the eight different opening partners Alastair Cook has had since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012, put their hand up to replace Hales at the top of the order with impressive centuries on Sunday.

Australian-born Robson finished the first day of Middlesex's match against Warwickshire at Lord's unbeaten on 175 having crushed 24 boundaries to guide the home side to 4-317 at stumps.

The 26-year-old played the last of his seven Tests to date in August 2014 and has clearly heeded the pre-season call of Test skipper Cook that early runs in the summer could propel batsmen back into Test calculations.

Quick Single: Cook challenges England batsmen

Ditto Yorkshire's Lyth, who posted 111 to join England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow in notching three figures on the opening day of their match against Hampshire.

Lyth, who played all seven Tests last northern summer before being dropped with an average of 20, shared a 205-run stand with Bairstow (107 not out) to rescue the defending champions from 3-41 in the first session.

Quick Single: Bairstow named one of five cricketers of the year

The news wasn't so good for former Test No.3 Gary Ballance, who was dismissed for just 12.

Elsewhere, former Australia Test and ODI quick McKay claimed 6-73 to help Leicestershire dismiss Glamorgan for 348 on the first day of their match in Cardiff.

Having removed both openers in his third over of the morning, McKay bagged another double strike midway through the day and then helped to clean up the tail in his first match since retiring from Australia first-class cricket earlier this month.

Quick Single: McKay reflects on 11 years at the top

At Old Trafford, New Zealand left-armer Wagner returned the best debut figures in 93 years on his first outing for English county side Lancashire.

The quick bowler took 6-66 for the Red Roses against Nottinghamshire, helping dismiss them for 242.

They were the best bowling figures on debut for Lancashire since 1923, and took the attention away from England seamer James Anderson's (0-40) return to the Lancashire side.

The day began well for the home bowlers as they reduced the visitors to 4-73, Kyle Jarvis and Wagner taking two wickets apiece after Nottinghamshire skipper Chris Read had chosen to have first use of what looked a good batting pitch.

South African-born Wagner picked up a wicket after lunch and dominated play in the hour after tea, when he took three more.

Read offered determined resistance with an innings of 52 before he became Wagner's sixth victim.

In reply Lancashire were 1-19 at stumps.

"Once we adjusted our plans this morning and began to bowl a little straighter, we got some reward," Wagner said.

"We had to be patient. There was a little bit of swing and that's something I've been working on but it's lovely bowling with Duke balls and the way they go round. It was a bit cold and fresh but it still swung."

Wagner's Lancashire debut figures were the best since 6-23 by South African Test cricketer Alf Hall, also a left-arm seamer, against Oxford University in 1923.

Click here for the full details from this round of county cricket