UK County: How the Aussies fared

As Matthew Renshaw was carving out a debut hundred at Taunton, a lesser-known Australian product was dominating with the ball at Northampton on day one of the latest round of UK County Championship action.

Ryan Sidebottom, brother of AFL star Steele Sidebottom, claimed his maiden five-wicket haul as visiting Warwickshire routed Northamptonshire for 147, before reaching 3-113 at the close in their Division Two clash.

Sidebottom, something of a late bloomer at 28 having long battled back injuries, played one Sheffield Shield match for Victoria back in 2013 but has rejuvenated his career in the UK, finishing the 2017 campaign strongly for Warwickshire by claiming 23 wickets in his first six matches for the side.

But at Northants, the right-arm paceman stepped things up a notch, taking 6-35 in a devastating spell that included the wickets of England hopeful Ben Duckett, as well as Proteas rep Richard Levi and Black Caps allrounder Doug Bracewell.

It was a productive day for the Australians in both county divisions, with Renshaw's debut hundred – an unbeaten 101 for Somerset – the pick of the bunch alongside Sidebottom's heroics.

In the same game, Redbacks captain Travis Head made 49 for Worcester, while elsewhere in Division One, Joe Mennie claimed 3-52 for Lancashire against Essex, who had top-scorer Peter Siddle's unbeaten 33 to thank for pushing them to a total of 150.

In Division Two, Hilton Cartwright could only contribute 10 for Middlesex, who were in trouble at 3-45 in response to Derbyshire's 265.

At Chester-le-Street, Durham's Nathan Rimmington claimed 3-39 on a bad day for the hosts, who were skittled for 91 with South Africa star Aiden Markram making a pair inside a day against Kent.

Another SA player, seamer Daniel Worral, was a surprise performer with the bat for Gloucester, making 36no as Michael Hogan's 2-23 helped Glamorgan roll the hosts for 236.

County Championship Division One

At Chelmsford: Essex 150 v Lancashire 8-141 (S Harmer 4-44, J Porter 4-25)

At Taunton: Somerset 202 (M Renshaw 101 no; E Barnard 5-52) v Worcestershire 8-153

At The Oval: Surrey 211 (L Dawson 4-30, F Edwards 4-38) v Hampshire 3-52

At Headingley: Yorkshire 256 (A Hodd 62; L Fletcher 4-47) v Nottinghamshire 4-53

County Championship Division Two

At Derby: Derbyshire 265 (G Viljoen 60 no, J Harris 4-68) v Middlesex 3-45

At Chester-le-Street: Durham 91 (M Henry 5-28) and 13-1 v Kent 169 (H Kuhn 54)

At Bristol: Gloucestershire 236 (M de Lange 5-62) v Glamorgan 0-26

At Grace Road: Sussex 254-7 (L Wright 88, B Brown 64) v Leicestershire

At Northampton: Northamptonshire 147 (R Sidebottom 6-35) v Warwickshire 3-113 (S Hain 51 no)