.png)
3 hours ago
7
Key events
Essex are batting again, and it better be good this time as Notts have a spanking 273-run lead. And with that, I’d better write up. Do keep chatting BTL.
Potgieter had been deeply frustrating Sussex, but Carson has him caught for 55 after a seventh-wicket stand of 91 with Felix Organ. But the Hampshire lead is up to 190, which is be more than challenging.
At Grace Road, hundreds for Ahmed and New Zealander Nick Kelly against a quite toothless looking Yorkshire. Leics 442-6, the lead 257. Two wickets for the lesser-looking Moriarty.
Surrey all out 105 and must follow on at Sophia Gardens
Bow down to Glamorgan. Two in two for centurion Crane, five wickets for Tom Norton.
So what else is happening? Lancashire in trouble again. A Marcus Harris miracle is required at Chesterfield, alongside Robin Singh, whose dad, Rudra Pratap Singh, was, I learnt last week, a pro for Blackpool. Lancs 70-3, still need another 133 to make Derby bat again.
A fourth catch, an excellent rolling affair, for Vasconcelos, Rhodes gone for 62. A third wicket for Conway, Durham 202-5 in the sun, trail by 248.
At The Oval, England are throwing the furniture out of the window to clear the burning building. OBO master Rob Smyth, “Brook is playing like a mad genius again.” A 33 ball fifty.
The scoring has inexplicable slowed down here at Chester le Street, where the temperature is just perfect, there was a queue for ice creams at tea, and there is an excellent book sale in the room under the media centre. Is this the only Test ground where dogs are allowed?
Stokes walks up the pavilion steps and into a waiting car to whisk him to the Oval? We will find out.
St0kes bowled for 95
Stokes done by the man who dropped him on 43, bent double by one that crawled low. A sigh segues into applause for the man who would be England captain, for a fabulous innings: 119 balls, 18 fours.
Tea-time scores
Chelmsford: Essex 184 v Nottinghamshire 358-6
Sophia Garden: Glamorgan 358 v Surrey 74-6
Grace Road: Leicestershire 377-5 v Yorkshire 185
Taunton: Somerset 208 v Warwickshire 241-5
Hove: Sussex 159 v Hampshire 191 and 126-6
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield: Derbyshire 364 v Lancashire 161 and 56-3
Chester-le-Street: Durham 183-3 v Northants 450
Canterbury: Kent 416 v Middlesex 180-6
New Road: Worcestershire 126-3 v Gloucestershire 289
Tea at Durham – Stokes 95 not out in the session!
Pulls off his helmet and leads the players off to biscuits-just out-of-the-oven warm applause from the crowd and the balcony. Durham 183-3.
Scores round the grounds to follow.
McSweeney has the honour. Five dots.Six.
One over till tea.
Double reverse sweep – one hurrahs for four and Stokes reaches 94 and will face the next over. 150 u for Durham.
A slog sweep off Calvin Harrison takes Stokes up to 86. Four overs till tea – can he get to three figures first?
Surrey have recovered – slightly - and van der Gugten has spoilt Norten’s chances of a nine-fer, catching Patel off his own bowling for 24. Surrey 70-6, trail Glamorgan by 288.
Spin at The Riverside, brings up the first fifty of the season for Will Rhodes. Nathan McSweeney must now bowl at Stokes, who has itchy feet and dances down the wicket, but only to midwicket.
100 for Jack Haynes!
At Chelmsford, three for Harmer, three for Slater but Notts have a lead of 160 over Essex, thanks largely to a second century of the season from Jack Haynes. Notts 344-6.
And four more for Stokes, with wristy fury, through the slips. 73 not out.
This is Stokes. Bang through extra cover for four, then next ball leans into a splayed back foot and with a wristy cut-flick picks up four more off Sales. Stokes 69 not out.
Sales trucks in and sends down something wide and Stokes twists and nudges four more, bringing up the 100 partnership with Rhodes off 131 balls of which Stokes has made 60. Rhodes a not too shabby 44 not out at the other end. Durham 130-3 on a perfect summer day, trees in dark green jackets , cornflower sky, candy floss clouds.
Stokes comes down the pitch …. and dabs Sales into the offside for a dot. Silk and steel. Durham 126-3.
And the big news is Andrew Radd got a new rosebush for his birthday in traditional Northamptonshire colours: Abracadabra floribunda.
Four wickets for Tom Norton
SCurran, Lawrence, Pope and Sibley: Surrey 42 for five. Young Tom has the power with him today.
As Stokes slams a Guthrie full toss through the covers for four more…
Fifty for Ben Stokes!
A short ball flat batted for four through deep midwicket to bring up a fifty off 51 balls, with ten full-power fours.
Hampshire’s innings continues to implode – Ali Orr shimmying Goodman behind. Hampshire 66-6, lead by 98. Which might be nearly enough in this game.
Stokes dropped
Harry Conway won’t want to replay that moment. Stokes, on 43, gets a thick top edges and Conway shifts left, shifts right and lets the ball through his fingers. Drops his head and wishes for a cold dark room. Durham 96-3.
Oooof, Stokes smokes Procter down the ground via Procter’s left hand. Ooooh, that feels like it could be a mess, the physio does something that probably hurt.
Surrey are 16 for three. Dom Sibley calls his captain for a single but hadn’t counted on Ben Kellaway’s quick arm. A not happy Rory Burns trudges back. Then Tom Norton with two more – through Sam Curran’s gate, and persuadeing run machine Dan Lawrence to nick behind to Cooke.
Lancs, batting second, have safely put six on the board without losing a wicket.
Vasconcelos comes up to the stumps to whisper sweet nothings in that pesky No. 38’s ear.
Sanderson the frugal is being bashed about here – as Stokes swivels and pulls in one move a short ball to the rope. A couple of balls later another disappears, another quickstep down the wicket, another boundary, backhand through midwicket.
England’s national selector Marcus North has been spotted here at CLS, just in time to see Stokes bash a 60-ball century.
Stokes has decided to deal in boundaries – gently onto the back foot, viciously square cut Sanderson to the rope. Tries to go for broke on the offside but Zaib saves the ball. Durham 56-3, Stokes 20 not out from 18.
Five wickets for Stanley, four for Atkinson
Four cheap wickets for best of the bowlers Gus Atkinson in Glamorgan’s 358 – centuries for Cooke and Crane and a 80 in two parts for Colin Ingram – last man out.
And a first-innings lead of 203 for Derbyshire at Chesterfield – 75 for Ben Aitchison adding to Lancashire’s frustration. Two wickets at the last for Anderson.
Hampshire and Middlesex are batting in banana shoes today. Hampshire 19-4 in their second innings lead by just 55. Three wickets for Tom Price.
Middlesex have lost a third, but Holden and Falkner are doing their best to stop the rot: 47-3.
Stokes is prowling. After inside edging, he attacks Sanderson. Down the track, straight drive, four. The next screams between Sanderson’s legs for four more – 12 not out.
Wooosh! Stokes off the mark, hotstepping down to Conway and driving him through mid-off for four.
Stokes in!
Two quick Durham wickets after lunch – McKinney and Bedingham both caught behind. The cherry capped Northants fielders bounce along at the change of ends – a bowling point already in their pocket. Durham 30-3.
A hundred for Mason Crane! And Rehan Ahmed!
In Division One:
Mason Crane has joined Cooke in the hundred club, frustrating Surrey at Sophia Gardens. 103 not out – his maiden century after he got close earlier this season. Glamorgan 332-7.
And after a prolific 2025, a first century of the season for Rehan Ahmed, showing England just what they are missing. Leicestershire 236-3 a lead of 51 over Yorks.
Notts have drawn level with Essex, but with only four wickets down.
Mousley (54) and Hain (55) are making Somerset toil at Taunton – Warwicks 129-2.
Six wickets for Kyle Abbot as Sussex are all out for 159. But Hampshire are 9-2 in their second innings.
(and an early wicket at CLS – Lees lbw to Sanderson – but McKinney has woofed two gorgeous fours – Durham 14-1)
This last wicket stand is really starting to be an annoyance to Durham now – 32 and counting – and counting no more – as Guthrie clips Parkinson to Lees at midwicket. Northants all out for a nice round 450.
Round the grounds and round the grounds we go. In Division Two:
Four wickets for Mitchell Stanley – tipped for England glory by Ali – in Derbyshire’s 265-7. Dal and Aitchison currently frustrating Lancs. A Derby lead of 106.
Kent, on a roll after the three-day defeat of Lancs in the last round, have just been out for a satisfying 416 against Middlesex. Chris Benjamin the highest scorer with 70 – and a maiden five-wicket haul for Seb Morgan. Four for Tom Helm.
And Gloucestershire lost their last three wickets for 32 this morning, Miles Hammond not out for an innings-propping up 139. Worcs 24-0 in reply.
“Vasconinconsolable?” ask Tim Maitland.”You’d think that Ricardo Vasconsalos had just made a king pair judging from the utterly defeated funeral march that took him off the pitch after losing his wicket for a career best 187.
”Despite making two centuries in April, it’s not as if he’d been in sparkling form since. A T20 knock of 34 was his best effort since the start of May. I hope he cheers up eventually.”
Ben Raine replaces Stokes after a good hour of charging in.
Free tickets for Father's Day at Hove
A super idea from Hove – there’s free entry for all tomorrow to see team of the season Sussex and celebrate Father’s Day.
If you fancy celebrating with cricket on Sunday, you need to get the tickets in advance online – book here
Sunday lunch at the carvery can be booked here.
Stokes thinks he’s had Guthrie caught behind. He really thinks it’s out. A nasty ball, lifting off a length. Guthrie whips off his helmet – hit me on the head mate. The physio comes out for a concussion check and Stoke chunters and stares.
I’m not sure quite what he muttered to Potts but it works as Potts yorks the giant Conway next ball. Conway stays in place for a good minute replaying the shot if only he could go back in time. But he can’t and walks off for five.
A beauty from Potts! Broad leaves with a fancy twirl and the ball bruises off the earth into middle stump. Northants 406-8 and some hard work rewarded by Durham this morning.
There’s so much cricket to follow. Obviously you’ll be glued to CCLive! but you can spare a glance for England’s travails at The Oval
and Ash Gardener and Beth Mooney in the mood against Netherlands in the WWCup.
Catching up from my emails, yesterday. Romeo is doing a pet’s corner at his website, matching pets to CCLive readers. If you are interested in playing, send a photo of your pet to romeoromeotangocclive@gmail.com.
And a breakthrough for Durham as Potts fires one in, Vasconcelos swipes and is caught behind for a wonderful 187 -23 fours, two sixes, a highest career score. That, however, is little solace as he walks off with his head bowed and his shoulders slumped in devastation.
An early wicket for Gus Atkinson this morning at Sophia Gardens. Chris Cooke without adding to his overnight 101. That happens so often – it would be good to see some stats although that would be cheeky as I’m not going to do it myself. Stokes fires in, Conway leaves one that thinks about knocking out his stumps. Stokes puffs out his cheeks in frustration.
A change of ends for Ben Stokes this morning. With Potts at the other end, this is quite a test first thing for Vasconcelos and Conway. And I can recommend the cheese scones from the health club here at CLS – absolutely delicious.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Chelmsford: Essex 184 v Nottinghamshire 111-2
Sophia Garden: Glamorgan 244-6 v Surrey
Grace Road: Leicestershire 177-3 v Yorkshire 185
Taunton: Somerset 208 v Warwickshire 92-2
Hove: Sussex 121-3 v Hampshire 191
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield: Derbyshire 197-5 v Lancashire 161
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Northants 388-6
Canterbury: Kent 356-7 v Middlesex
New Road: Worcestershire v Gloucestershire 258-7
Preamble
Good morning from Chester le Street, where summer is wearing her most perfect summer’s blouse. The Durham players are having a gentle game of keepy-uppy – though Stokes is stretching from the sidelines. Play starts here and around the grounds at 11am.
