Nottinghamshire began their Royal London One-Day campaign with a thrilling 11-run win over Lancashire after more than 800 runs were scored at Trent Bridge on Good Friday.
Joe Clarke set the tone for a run-fest striking 139 from 99 balls, and shared a 197-run opening stand with Ben Slater, as the hosts piled up 417 for seven.
It was a target that was remarkably within Lancashire’s sight for the majority of their pursuit thanks to twin centuries from Steven Croft (110) and captain Dane Vilas (166).
Vilas’ innings was the highest individual List A score by a Lancashire batsman, including 13 fours and eight sixes, but not even that was enough as James Pattinson made him one of his five scalps to deny the visitors, who finished with their highest 50-over total at 406 for nine.
There was further drama at Edgbaston where Yorkshire scrambled a bye from the final ball to tie their contest with Warwickshire.
Former Bear Josh Poysden swished and missed at the final delivery from teenage right-armer Henry Brookes but the visitors stole a single to share the points.
Tim Ambrose’s 77 helped Warwickshire post 270 for eight before Yorkshire crashed to 33 for four.
Half-centuries from Tim Bresnan and Jonathan Tattersall turned the momentum of the match back Yorkshire’s way before 19-year-old Brookes did enough, with 10 needed from the final over, to ensure his side took something from the game.
Hampshire made it two wins from as many matches to launch their title defence following a seven-wicket win over Glamorgan at the Ageas Bowl.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Alsop struck a career-best 130 and skipper James Vince blasted 95 from 78 balls to ensure Glamorgan’s target of 291 for nine was always well within sight.
Hampshire opened their campaign on Wednesday with a 90-run win over Kent in their rematch of last season’s final.
Kent’s quest to return to the Lord’s final on May 25 suffered a second major blow as Somerset handed them a crushing 264-run defeat at the Cooper Associates Ground in Taunton.
Tom Banton hit his maiden hundred in Somerset’s 358 for nine before Craig Overton followed up a quickfire half-century with five wickets to skittle Kent for 94 in 27 overs.
Durham captain Cameron Bancroft’s second successive century to start the competition ensured his side have a perfect record after two matches as they cast aside Leicestershire by six wickets.
Leicestershire eked out 233 for nine thanks to Tom Taylor’s half-century down the order, but it was never enough as Bancroft followed up his 151 not out in Durham’s opening win over Northamptonshire with an unbeaten 118 to get his team home with 4.3 overs to spare.
Varun Chopra’s second century in as many games was not enough for Essex as they fell 38 runs short of Middlesex’s 366 for eight at Chelmsford.
Leg-spinner Nathan Sowter claimed six for 62 and when Chopra fell for a run-a-ball 127 in the 39th over the Essex chase lost momentum.
Alex Hughes claimed a career-best four for 44 as Derbyshire started their campaign with a 53-run win over Northamptonshire. Captain Billy Godleman top-scored for Derbyshire with 87.
