The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day one of round eight of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Chester-le-Street (day two of four): Somerset 171 & 88, Durham 265 - Durham win by an innings and 6 runs
Ben Stokes starred with the ball again as Durham needed just five sessions to beat Somerset by an innings and six runs in their Vitality County Championship clash at the Seat Unique Riverside.
Stokes, who claimed figures of 4 for 23, was backed up by Ben Raine, Peter Siddle, and Paul Coughlin as they skittled an injury and illness-hit Somerset batting line up.
Concussion substitute turned five-wicket hero Jake Ball took the prized wicket of Division One’s leading run scorer David Bedingham early on and had the hosts 199 for nine at one point, but lower order runs from the impressive Raine and Siddle got the hosts to a total of 265 and a first innings lead of 94.
Durham’s bowling attack then bundled Somerset out for just 88 with Stokes the pick of the bowlers as the England Test captain claimed match figures of 8 for 77 to lead his side to victory.
The win means Durham climb to fourth while defeat keeps Somerset in second in the Division One table.
David Bedingham is the top run scorer in Division One and his century was vital in helping Durham win in two days (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Related: ECB looks to the future with Labour Party talks
Utilita Bowl (day two of four): Surrey 127, Hampshire 495-4 - Hampshire lead by 368 runs with six wickets remaining
Toby Albert scored his maiden Vitality County Championship century and Nick Gubbins plundered his second ton of the season as Hampshire cruised to a 368-run lead over Surrey after day two.
Homegrown batter Albert took advantage of Ali Orr’s back problems to grind out a ton on his sixth first-class appearance as he and Gubbins registered Hampshire’s highest second-wicket stand against Surrey.
After the 201-run partnership had ended, James Vince, Ben Brown, and Liam Dawson grabbed half-centuries as Hampshire piled on 495 for 4 to take complete control over the champions.
Brown will start the third day on 99 if Hampshire resist the temptation to declare overnight.
***
Canterbury (day two of four): Essex 591-7 dec, Kent 118-4 - Kent trail by 473 runs with six wickets remaining
Jordan Cox hit a double hundred on his return to Canterbury as Essex dominated day two of their Vitality Championship clash with Kent.
Essex declared on 591 for 7 with Cox making 207 from 255 balls before they reduced Kent to 118 for four in reply.
Shane Snater hit a career-best 83 not out and Michael Pepper made 82 before Matt Critchley took two for 19, including the key wicket of Kent’s top scorer Ben Compton, who made 41.
Joe Denly and nightwatcher Matt Parkinson were not out on four and 10 respectively at stumps, with the hosts still trailing Essex by 473.
Related: Richard Gould sets deadline to resolve The Hundred issues
[~~INLINEIMG4~~]
Jordan Cox enjoyed a very happy return to his former county with a double hundred for Essex (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Old Trafford (day two of four): Warwickshire 284, Lancashire 66-3 - Lancashire trail by 218 runs with 7 wickets remaining
An unbeaten century from Warwickshire skipper Alex Davies helped his side lead by 218 against Lancashire on the second day of this Vitality County Championship Division One game at Emirates Old Trafford.
Davies' 127 off 296 balls saw his side reach 284 and the opener carry his bat against his former county before two wickets for Oliver Hannon-Dalby and one for Jake Lintott left Lancashire 66 for three at the close of play.
Hopes were high in the Red Roses camp that the visitors might fold quickly after George Balderson got Dan Mousley to edge to Keaton Jennings at first slip for two in the third over of the day to leave Warwickshire 93 for 4.
But, as if inspired by their captain’s belligerence, the Bears' middle order came to the rescue, offering support and defiance to Davies as Warwickshire posted a respectable first innings total.
***
Related: Ryan Higgins: "Perception is always going to be there, but I am less fussed about it now"
New Road (day two of four): Worcestershire 80, Nottinghamshire 234-3 - Nottinghamshire lead by 154 runs with 7 wickets remaining
Nottinghamshire skipper Haseeb Hameed starred with his second century of the season as his team lead by 154 on a miserable return to Visit Worcestershire New Road for Worcestershire.
Worcestershire, back at their headquarters after flooding led to the first two games with Durham and Somerset being moved to Kidderminster, were bowled out in just 31.1 overs with the wickets shared evenly across the four Notts seamers.
In response, Nottinghamshire benefitted from missed chances in the slip cordon to end the day on 234, largely thanks to a 147-run partnership between Hameed and Joe Clarke.
Hameed reached three figures before he was dismissed by Matthew Waite to leave Clarke unbeaten on 73.
Join The Cricketer's brand new Whatsapp channel for the latest breaking news, comment and features - click here to become a member
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.