Scores on the doors
Trent Bridge: 193 v Somerset 310 and 73-2
Hove: Sussex 521 v 155 and 42-0
Scarborough: Yorkshire 469 v 225-7
Chester-le-Street: Durham 377 v 118 and 99-4
Blackpool: 87 v Kent 178 and 320-8
Northampton: 465 v Gloucestershire 233-5
New Road: 265 v Middlesex 339 and 5-0
Roundup: Stokes warms up as Durham run rings round Derbyshire
Ben Stokes trained with Durham on Saturday after being excluded from the second Test against New Zealand for breaching a midnight curfew. Stokes and Surrey’s Gus Atkinson, who was also not selected, were involved in an incident with a Saracens rugby player in a London nightclub while celebrating at Lord’s. Durham coach Ryan Campbell commented on Stokes’s participation:
"Any decision on whether Stokes featured in Durham’s game against Northants on Friday was up to the player and the England and Wales Cricket Board but I’ll definitely find him a spot."
Stokes bowled in the middle before play and later batted in the nets. On the field, Durham dominated Derbyshire, who were forced to follow on after being dismissed for 118, with Kasey Aldridge taking five wickets. At stumps, Derbyshire were 99 for four, Matthew Potts the only wicket-taker, still trailing by 160 runs.
At Hove, James Coles scored an impressive 224 not out, his maiden double century featuring 11 sixes. He and Jaydev Unadkat added 103 runs for the last wicket, frustrating Glamorgan. Sussex lost Henry Crocombe during the day after he was called up by England as cover for Ollie Robinson, who was scheduled for a knee scan following soreness. Dom Goodman replaced Crocombe.
In Blackpool, Lancashire were dismissed for 87 by Kent. Keith Dudgeon took six wickets for 21 runs, while Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud, on his Kent debut, took three for 32 bowling from Stanley Park’s north end. Kent then capitalized, with Chris Benjamin scoring an unbeaten century, hitting multiple sixes, and Harry Finch contributing a careful 83.
Somerset ended the day at Trent Bridge with a 190-run lead, progressing steadily. Lewis Gregory took four wickets and Jack Leach three as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 193. Earlier, Fergus O’Neill achieved a career-best six for 72, with Somerset’s last three wickets adding only 16 runs.
Leicestershire took Essex’s last five wickets for 58 runs but still followed on at Grace Road. Jordan Cox was finally dismissed for 204, and Essex were all out for 187, with Charlie Bennett and Simon Harmer taking three wickets each. Nick Kelly was the top scorer with 78. Sheridon Gumbs, 22 and on debut, opened the batting patiently as Leicestershire closed on 51 without loss in their second innings.
At Northampton, James Bracey (72) and Graeme van Buuren (75 not out) rescued Gloucestershire from 56 for four with a 148-run partnership. New Zealand’s Kristian Clarke took six wickets for 109 on his Gloucestershire debut as Northamptonshire amassed 465.
Yorkshire held the advantage at Scarborough, securing maximum batting points before reducing Warwickshire to 225 for seven. Toby Roland-Jones led Middlesex’s bowling attack with four wickets for 41 as they dismissed Worcestershire for 265, a first-innings deficit of 74 runs.
Good morning! A cloudy start to day three was observed at Preston station, with conditions favoring a strong Kent performance. Lancashire’s batsmen face a challenging task, trailing by 411 runs and counting. Saturday proved difficult for Leicestershire, Glamorgan, and Derbyshire, all following on against Essex, Sussex, and Durham respectively.
Somerset maintain the upper hand over Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire over Warwickshire, while the contests at Wantage Road and New Road remain balanced.
Play is scheduled to commence at 11am across the grounds. Join us for continued coverage.
