County Championship round-up: Joe Root adds to reputation after hitting 232 against Derbyshire

Batsman of the day

Joe Root's reputation as the best young English batsman to emerge since current England captain Alastair Cook grows by the day. After his match-winning 182 for Yorkshire at Durham last week, the 22-year-old hit 232 against Derbyshire. It was the second double-hundred of his fledgling career, surpassing his previous best score of 222 against Hampshire last summer, as Yorkshire bettered Derbyshire's first-innings 475 in a run-fest at Headingley. Root's England team-mate Jonny Bairstow made 186 runs of his own in a 231-run partnership for the fourth wicket, his first significant runs since he made 95 and 54 in the third Test against South Africa at Lord's last summer.

Ashes watch

Jonathan Trott rode his luck at the start of his first innings of the summer after his England colleague Ian Bell won the toss and elected to bat first in his capacity as Warwickshire's stand-in captain (Jim Troughton is injured). Trott was dropped at third slip by Ed Joyce off James Anyon on one, had another escape to a more difficult chance on three and almost played on to Chris Jordan on nine. He was more circumspect even than usual for a while after that, perhaps not surprisingly. Sussex were regretting the missed chances later as the England No 3 finished on 87 not out after sharing a stand of 131 with Bell.

Extras

First Division champions Warwickshire may be scratching their heads over how they are going to raise a team for next week's important fixture against early pace-setters Middlesex, particularly a bowling attack. Keith Barker (intercostal muscle), Rikki Clarke (hamstring) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (broken arm) are injured, while Chris Wright and Chris Woakes will be playing instead for England Lions against New Zealand. Batsman Ian Westwood (ankle) and Jim Troughton (shoulder) are also both absent from the current game against Sussex at Hove, as is Boyd Rankin, another bowler, who is recovering from a foot injury.

Bowler of the day

Although chasing just 143 to win, Essex came close to wasting their chance when they lost six wickets for 31. But Essex completed a four-wicket victory over Hampshire at Chelmsford which was set up by the veteran seam bowler David Masters, on his return from injury. He took 5 for 41 in the second innings and 9 for 70 overall in the match to ease the pressure on the Essex coach Paul Grayson.