County Championship Division One roundup: Jordan Cox turns on style against former club

The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day three of round two of the Vitality County Championship in 2024

Chelmsford (day three of four): Essex 530-7d & 257-4, Kent 413 - Essex lead by 374 runs with six wickets remaining

Jordan Cox pulverised his former Kent teammates with a whirlwind century as Essex piled on the runs towards a declaration in the Vitality County Championship at Chelmsford.

The 23-year-old right-hander reached his first three-figure score for his new county with a mighty six over square leg, one of six sixes in an unbeaten 116 as Essex raced to 257 for 4 and a lead of 374 in 40 overs in a lengthy evening session. The fast accumulation of runs was necessary with rain and high winds forecast for the final day.

Earlier Ben Compton had weighed anchor for more than eight-and-a-half-hours to help Kent avoid the follow-on by 33 runs. The obdurate left-hander was last man out for 165, his highest score for Kent, eked from 263 balls and spliced sparingly with 18 boundaries.

That Essex were able to get so close to asking Kent to go straight back in was due to an inspired spell from leg-spinning allrounder Matt Critchley, following up his career-high 151 with 5 for 105, his best figures since moving from Derbyshire in 2022.

^{Durham almost fought their way to the follow-on target at Edgbaston (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Southampton (day three of four): Hampshire 367 & 39-2, Lancashire 484 - Hampshire trail by 78 runs with eight wickets remaining

Keaton Jennings quickly disproved a Utilita Bowl jinx with a fine century to ease Lancashire into a large first-innings lead over Hampshire.

Five batters – Nick Gubbins, James Vince, Tom Prest, Liam Dawson and Luke Wells – had scored fifties without converting to three figures in the first fixture at the newly renamed ground.

But Jennings turned his overnight 85 into 172 with barely a moment out of shape, 21-year-old George Bell brilliantly accompanied him – but he was left cursing himself after running himself out for 99, with a maiden first-class century at his fingertips.

Lancashire were eventually bowled out for 484 – with Liam Dawson picking up 4 for 156 – boasting a 117-run lead. Hampshire lost two wickets to Will Williams before the close as they reached 39 for 2.

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Trent Bridge (day three of four): Nottinghamshire 399 & 151-7, Worcestershire 355 - Nottinghamshire lead by 195 runs with three wickets remaining

Nathan Smith, Worcestershire's new Kiwi signing, made 58 as his side, six down overnight, added a crucial 135 lower-order runs to total 355 and then took four wickets in seven balls as Nottinghamshire, batting again, went to a shell-shocked 151 for 7 at the close, a lead of 195

In a season notable for leg spin, another of that craft, Calvin Harrison, completed a maiden five-wicket bag for the home side earlier on the third day of this Vitality County Championship match.

But Smith's thrilling counter with pace in the evening raised the spectre of a second home batting debacle at Trent Bridge in seven days.

^{Cameron Steel continued his excellent start to the season (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)}

The Oval (day three of four): Somerset 285 & 204-6, Surrey 428 - Somerset lead by 61 runs with four wickets remaining

Half centuries from Lewis Goldsworthy and Tom Lammonby could not prevent Surrey from squeezing Somerset into near-submission at the Kia Oval, where the champions will be pressing for a first win of the new Vitality County Championship season on the final day.

Goldsworthy made 58 and Lammonby 51 to add to his first-day century, but at stumps Somerset were only 61 runs ahead at 204 for 6 in their second innings, with Dan Lawrence picking up 3 for 45.

Surrey had earlier reached 428 in their first innings, after resuming already 73 runs to the good at 358 for 6.

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Edgbaston (day three of four): Warwickshire 698-3d, Durham 517 & 12-2 - Durham trail by 169 runs with eight wickets remaining

Durham unfurled a dogged rearguard action against Warwickshire on the third day of their Vitality County Championship fixture at Edgbaston – but need to deliver another one tomorrow.

Facing a mammoth target of 549 to avoid the follow on, Scott Borthwick's side was bowled out for 517. Alex Lees (145), Ben Raine (93), Graham Clark (76), Ollie Robinson (60) and Matt Potts (44) all dug deep but Warwickshire's depleted attack kept plugging away, led by a career-best 4 for 137 by off-spinner Rob Yates.

Trailing on first innings by 181, Durham closed day three on 12 for 2 and need to bat out day four to prevent Warwickshire's second-highest ever total – 698 for 3 – being rewarded with victory.

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