County wrap: How the Aussies fared in the opening round

Sean Abbott (Surrey)

Figures: 5-50, 0-39

Score: 42

Surrey's bowling attack this season has a strong international flavour with West Indian quick Kemar Roach and South Australian-turned-English swing bowler Daniel Worrall joined by Sean Abbott for the first 10 matches this season. And Abbott was the standout in the opening match against Lancashire, taking 5-50 from 20 overs, the seventh five-wicket haul of his career.

His enterprising 42 off 65 balls against the second new ball helped lift Surrey to over 400 but he wasn't required with the bat in the second innings as the declaration came. Surrey had a full day to bowl Lancs out but as the Manchester pitch flattened so did any hopes of a result, with Abbott bowling 15 unsuccessful overs in the final innings. 

Cameron Bancroft (Somerset)

Scores: 44, 0

Cameron Bancroft had to wait until day two to experience conditions on his new home pitch in Taunton after day one was a complete washed out. Bancroft, who finished as the leading run-scorer in the Marsh Sheffield Shield in 2022-23 with 945 runs, saw off some good bowling to finish with 44 in his first innings for Somerset.

The right-hander was first drop in both innings, not opening, and could only manage a nine-ball duck in the second innings. He has three more matches before his stint comes to an end. 

Peter Handscomb (Leicestershire) 

Scores: 112, 68no 

With only two half-centuries in his previous 21 innings in the County Championship, Peter Handscomb's record in England hasn't reached the heights of his feats in Australia. However, on debut for Leicestershire, things couldn't have gone better for the Victorian. He scored 112 in the first innings, his 20th first-class century, and an arguably better knock of 68 not out in the second, guiding his side to their target of 392 with three wickets to spare, although he did have some fortune. 

The Foxes are Handscomb's fifth county side, having previously represented Durham, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Yorkshire. 

Marcus Harris (Gloucestershire) 

Scores: 59, 148

Victoria opener Marcus Harris is a big reason Gloucestershire managed to split the points with Glamorgan in the opening match of the season. Harris (59 off 129) was the only batter to pass 50 in the first innings as his side were bowled out for 165 before Glamorgan piled on 404. In reply, Harris carved out a boundary-laden 148 (20 fours) to ensure Gloucestershire built up a 200-run lead. 

It's Harris' seventh county century all up and he could continue to add to that, available all season pending a call-up to the Australian side. 

Matthew Kuhnemann (Durham)

Figures: 2-77, 4-70

A late call up to the Durham squad following his stunning Test arrival in India, tweaker Matthew Kuhnemann is already looking like a savvy selection. In a match where only eight wickets fell to spin, Kuhnemann claimed six of them including four in the final innings of the match. 

Durham had set Sussex only 231 to win and that was looking like a formality at 3-166, however Kuhnemann's wicket of Tom Clark breathed life into the contest. He finished with figures of 4-70 from 24 overs but ultimately there weren't enough runs on the board as the Sharks got home with two wickets to spare

Nathan McAndrew (Sussex)

Figures: 5-58, 1-35

Score: 38no

Nathan McAndrew didn't dominate for Warwickshire last year by any stretch of the imagination (he averaged 37.85 with the ball), but it was enough for coach Paul Fabrace to bring him across to Sussex for 2023. McAndrew's season-opening 5-85 made that decision look like a masterstroke as he claimed the fourth five-wicket haul of his career. His performance even earned him a promotion in the bowling order for the second innings (he was given the first over instead of being first-change) and while that didn't eventuate in another five-for, his first-innings 38 not out proved to be an extremely important contribution as Sussex got home with only two wickets in hand. 

Peter Siddle (Somerset)

Figures: 2-47

38-year-old Siddle is back at Somerset after taking 27 wickets in eight matches last season. Lots of rain around Taunton meant no result could be found against Warwickshire, but Siddle took a typically miserly 2-47 off 20 overs in the Bears' only innings. 

The seamer has a superb record in county cricket, with 175 wickets at an average of less than 23 from previous spells with Essex, Nottinghamshire and Lancashire.  

Chris Tremain (Northamptonshire)

Figures: 5-44, 2-40

In his own words, lining up in the County Championship has been on Chris Tremain's bucket list for some time, and he made an immediate impact with seven wickets against Kent. Tremain's haul included England Test opener Zak Crawley as well as Joe Denly and Sam Billings. 

The veteran quick also grabbed two of his side's three wickets in the fourth innings as the pitch flattened out. Tremain has two matches remaining before he'll be replaced by West Australian Lance Morris. 

Sam Whiteman (Northamptonshire)

Scores: 1, 12

It was a tough County Championship debut for the Sheffield Shield-winning captain Sam Whiteman. However, the left-hander has plenty of time to find his feet at number three, signed onto a deal that will see him through until August. Whiteman, who was born in Yorkshire, has said it has been a lifelong ambition to play first-class cricket in the UK.

Did not play:

Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan), Michael Neser (Glamorgan), Lance Morris (Northamptonshire), Steve Smith (Sussex)