There were two centurions on the opening day of the new season, as a whole host of runs were scored in the three Specsavers County Championship Division One matches which began on Sunday.
For the first time this season, the new toss rule, which gives the visiting team the opportunity to bowl first without a toss being made, was implemented in all three games.
Mullaney's century puts Notts in control
Steven Mullaney made the first century of the new season just inside the afternoon session, and what a knock it was, as Nottinghamshire took complete control over Surrey at Trent Bridge.
Former England player Samit Patel (85), Rikki Wessels (81) and captain Chris Reid (63) all made half-centuries as Notts were bowled out just before the end of play for 446.
Surrey had three overs to negotiate at the end of play, and they managed to do that without the loss of any wickets as Rory Burns and Arun Harinath helped the visitors to 11 without loss at the close of play.
Durham on top against Somerset
Keaton Jennings was the second player to have made the milestone, and at one stage Durham looked in total control at 159 for 3.
The openers’ innings of 116 from 228 balls came to an end when he top edged Josh Davey to Marcus Trescothick, but Jack Burnham (33) and Usman Arshad (32) were the only other batsmen to offer some resilience alongside Jennings.
Durham were all out for 256 after losing their final four wickets inside four overs for just 12 runs, but Somerset needed to try and see out the remaining 12 overs of the day.
However, Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions had other ideas.
Rushworth trapped Tom Abell and Davey leg-before-wicket before Onions uprooted Trescothick’s off-stump to leave the visitors on 36 for 3 at the close of play.
Barker stars, but McClaren fights back for Hampshire
The other game in Division One was between Hampshire and Warwickshire at The Rose Bowl, and when the hosts were left on 87 for 7, the visitors had a complete stranglehold on the game after deciding to bowl first under the new rules.
Keith Barker picked up figures of 5 for 44 inside the morning session, as Michael Carberry (3), Tom Alsop (1), Will Smith (0), Liam Dawson (20) and Sean Ervine (4) fell victim to the seamer.
It was up to the tail-enders to put up some sort of fightback, and Ryan McLaren single-handidly dug Hampshire out of the hole they were in with an unbeaten knock of 84 from 147 balls.
Heroes come in the shape of unlikely figures sometimes, and at the start of the day Hampshire wouldn’t have expected the cards they were dealt, but they did manage to finish on 189 for 8 at the close on day one.