'Jet-lagged' Marnus escapes serious injury in freak accident

A "jet-lagged" Marnus Labuschagne tripped and fell on the pavilion steps at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens, but has escaped serious injury as his second stint with Glamorgan got off to a less-than-ideal start.

Labuschagne, who only arrived in the country Tuesday, suffered the injury to his left hand when he fell on the steps while on his way onto the field after Glamorgan sent Kent in on the opening day of the County Championship clash.

"He might be a little jet-lagged still and tripped down the stairs before we got onto the field but he's a great player and he'll be right to go further into the game," Glamorgan quick Timm van der Gugten told BBC Sport Wales after play.

Labuschagne remained on the field for the morning session but missed part of the session after lunch as he was sent for a scan which showed no damage as he returned to the field in good spirits and was able to bat in the final session.

After Kent were skittled for just 138, Labuschagne was dismissed for 11 after a 37 ball stay, trapped lbw by the English game's oldest active professional player, Darren Stevens, who turns 45 today.

Some reports suggested the Australia Test star appeared bothered by the hand injury at times as he batted at No.3

Elsewhere, Victoria's Marcus Harris scored 62 batting at No.3 for Leicestershire before he was one of four wickets to fall to South Australia quick Daniel Worrall, bowling for Gloustershire.

Sam Evans struck another century to see Leicestershire up to 4-264 in their first innings against Gloucestershire. The opener hit a ton at Surrey last week and followed it up with 102 before he too fell to Worrall who finished day one with figures of 4-54 from 24 overs.

Peter Handscomb was run out for 17 for Middlesex while fifties from Nick Gubbins (75) and Robbie White (70no) saw the side to 6-308 against Somerset in Taunton.

In matches not involving Australians, Alastair Cook brought up his first hundred of the year – and the 68th first-class ton of his illustrious career – to put Essex in control of their match at Worcester.

England's record run scorer had struggled for form during the opening weeks of the season but showed his class to bat for 330 minutes at New Road, hitting 115 while captain Tom Westley was unbeaten on 75 at the close as Essex finished on 2-266.

It was not such a good day for another ex-England opener as Nottinghamshire's Haseeb Hameed fell for a second-ball duck in Derbyshire after his record-breaking hundreds in both innings against Worcestershire last week.

Ben Slater continued his fine form with 107 to help Notts up to 256 despite Fynn Hudson-Prentice's 4-36.

England paceman Stuart Broad picked up two scalps before the close to help reduce Derbyshire to 8-86 in a dramatic evening session.

At Chester-le-Street, Mark Wood was also in the wickets with three scalps but was overshadowed by Ben Raine, who claimed 5-9 as Durham bowled out Warwickshire for 87– and that only after a ninth-wicket stand of 52 between Craig Miles and Liam Norwell.

Wickets tumbled in similar fashion at The Oval, Surrey's Jordan Clark helping himself to a career-best 6-21, with Hampshire captain James Vince one of three out for a duck in their total of 92.

Rory Burns was 61 not out at the close with Surrey ahead by 39 runs thanks to his 100-run partnership with Hashim Amla (59no).

Lancashire struggled at home to Sussex without James Anderson, absent due to a minor calf injury, but Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson and Liam Livingstone were in the wickets.

Stiaan Van Zyl's 79 proved the foundation for Sussex, who ended day one on 7-318.

Yorkshire needed one of their England players to rescue them from a low score against Northamptonshire. With Joe Root rested, Dom Bess was the unlikely batting hero with 56 to top-score in their first innings of 206