A fifth-wicket stand of 168 between Brendan Taylor and Samit Patel handed the advantage to Nottinghamshire on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Durham.
Having elected to bat the hosts were in trouble against Division One's second-placed team at 27 for three but Taylor steadied the ship alongside Michael Lumb (22) before turning things around with Patel.
The Zimbabwean hit 114 off 189 balls with 18 fours and was ably supported by his partner, who chipped in with 84, before both fell before the close.
However, Riki Wessels (46 not out) and Brett Hutton (33no) added a further 62 to push the score to 353 for six at stumps.
Bottom side Surrey's decision to bat first against Somerset at Taunton failed to pay off as they slipped to 236 for eight at stumps on the first day.
Steven Davis (49) and Kumar Sangakkara (45) were the two highest scorers as having rallied from 90 for three to 196 for four the visitors lost four wickets for five runs to put themselves back in trouble.
Jack Leach was the pick of the bowlers with four for 31.
Division Two leaders Essex struggled on the opening day against Northamptonshire as Ben Duckett hit 189 in the hosts' score of 376 for five.
Essex did not contest the toss so bowled first and saw Duckett share an opening stand of 167 with Rob Newton (75).
After Rob Keogh (41) and Josh Cobb (49no) had continued the scoring the visitors clawed back some ground by taking three late wickets for 32 runs, one of which was Duckett's whose 333-minute stay at the crease saw him hit one six and 28 fours.
Stuart Whittingham enjoyed a dream debut at Hove by taking a wicket with his first ball as Sussex's seamers dominated a rain-affected day against Derbyshire.
The Derby-born 22-year-old removed Hamish Rutherford for the third time this season, having dismissed the New Zealander twice on his first appearance in this year's championship at Derby three weeks ago.
Whittingham followed up with the wickets of Wayne Madsen and Matt Critchley either side of an impressive spell from Ajmal Shahzad, who claimed three wickets in five overs, as Derbyshire slumped to 97 for seven - eventually recovering to 142 for nine at the close.
Source: PA
