Roundup: Stokes among wickets for Durham
Ben Stokes had not played a Championship match for two years. He had not bowled properly since the Lord’s Test last year, excluding that cameo wicket-with-his-first-ball five-over spell during England’s fifth Test innings defeat to India in Dharamsala in March. Blackpool’s amphitheatre might not match the majesty of the Himalayas, but it was good enough for Stokes on his comeback, pounding with increasing vigour across the Stanley Park clod.
From soon after the start of play, Durham winning the toss and fielding against Lancashire, Stokes caught the eye. There he was at mid-off, touching his toes and running through his bowling action, all leonine hair and racehorse physique. There he was talking to Paul Coughlin at the top of his mark, dispensing advice and providing expert ball-polishing skills. There he was, throwing himself after the ball with the carefree joy of someone not coming back from a serious knee operation.
And there he was, suddenly at the top of his mark, that familiar gait, picking up two wickets along the way, with some occasional turf-kicking thrown in. There was huge appreciation from the crowd that Stokes was there, his run-up close enough to the boundary rope that the hot-dog seller next to the scoreboard could have taken an order. Stokes wasn’t the only England bowler in action.
Matthew Potts charged in with vigour, all demonstrative arms and legs, like a giant bounding puppy, trying to catch the eye of the ECB scout prowling the boundary. Potts picked up two wickets, Ben Raine three, while Keaton Jennings made 115 and Saqib Mahmood, also eyeing up an England return, a counter-punching 40 not out in one of Lancashire’s better batting performances of the season, as they closed on 350 for 9. But it was Stokes’s return that dominated close of play thoughts: it was “mint”, said Raine, to have him back in the Durham dressing room.
Elsewhere, Surrey picked themselves up from 15 for four, thanks to half-centuries from Dan Lawrence and Ollie Pope, but still subsided to 213 all out. Dan Worrall and Kemar Roach then almost ran through Worcestershire on a 17-wicket day at the Oval.
Centuries for Ed Barnard and Michael Burgess saved Warwickshire from a precarious position against Essex at Chelmsford; Lyndon James’s unbeaten 92 played a similar role for Nottinghamshire against Hampshire. Mohammad Abbas finished with four for 36.
There were punchy centuries for James Rew and Tom Banton as Somerset took Kent to the cleaners. Marnus Labuschagne was out for 23 on his Glamorgan return, one of four wickets for Middlesex’s Tom Helm; while George Bartlett and Rob Keogh steadied Northants with seventies in Derbyshire.
Ben Charlesworth made a rollicking maiden century and Cameron Bancroft his second in a row as Gloucestershire raced along against Leicester at Grace Road. Yorkshire rattled through Sussex, only to be rattled through in return – Joe Root (67) the only man to pass 26. Jofra Archer, meanwhile, was bowling for Sussex’s second XI.
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The crows are pecking at the Blackpool outfield, oyster catchers zipping overhead: time to leave the tent. An eventful day all round – but the last word can go to Keaton Jennings, Lancs century maker and wise observer of the game.
“Stokes is a competitor. He’s the type of guy you want in your team consistently. He’s the guy who, when your back is up against the wall, you throw the ball to Stokesy and something happens. He’ll come out tomorrow, he’ll be stiff and sore.
“He was good. There was energy on the ball, he swung it. He did get a little frustrated with himself at times. But that’s Stokesy - if he’s not perfect, he wants to make it perfect.”
Have a lovely evening, good night!
Close of play scores
Chelmsford: Essex v Warwickshire 308-6
Stanley Park: Lancashire 350-9 v Durham
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 212-9 v Hampshire
Taunton: Somerset 440-7 v Kent
The Oval: Surrey 213 v Worcestershire 112-7
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Northamptonshire 297-5
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 183 v Middlesex 62-0
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Gloucestershire 385-2
Hove: Sussex 150 v Yorkshire 176-7
In Div 2: Bartlett and Keogh rescuing Northants, 241-4; Glamorgan 183 all out, Middx 6-0; runs continue to flow at Grace Road, with Gloucs 333-1 (Charlesworth out for 126) and Yorkies 79-4, trail Sussex by 71, Root not out 27.
Back later.
Right, time for me to write up for the paper: At Blackpool, Stokes into his fourth spell at one end, Potts firing in at the other, Lancs 256, 5. The recovery continues at Chelmsford, where Barnard and Burgess ahve taken WArwicks to 243-6; Notts making slow, but definite, progress, thanks to fifty from Lyndon James, 150-7; a hundred for Banton, unbeaten 95 for Rew as Somerset cruise to 354-4; and a third wicket for Worrall at The Oval, Worcs 49-3.
A snorter from Potts! Balderson gone for 14, nicely collected by Ollie Robinson. Lancs 255-5.
I see Dan Worrall is being mean again. (Worcs 28-2)
Tea-time-ish scores
Chelmsford: Essex v Warwickshire 192-6
Stanley Park: Lancashire 225-4 v Durham
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 134-7 v Hampshire
Taunton: Somerset 265-4 v Kent
The Oval: Surrey 213 v Worcestershire
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Northamptonshire 195-4
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 158-8 v Middlesex
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Gloucestershire 268-0
Hove: Sussex 150 v Yorkshire 54-3
Wickets galore in Division One – Surrey all out 213; Notts 130-7. Warwicks have recovered thanks to Barnard and Burgess (192-6); runs for Banton (66) and runs, at last, for young Rew (63) at Taunton; and Keaton Jennings out at Blackpool, coming down the track and miscuing Parkinson C.
A maiden first-class century for Ben Charlesworth! Reaches it with six into the pavilion.
“Young Josh Hull seems to be bowling off a slightly longer run coming back into the side and running in” taps Mike Daniels. He’s generated some pace and bounce and had both batters in a little trouble. Unfortunately he’s also borrowed a good few no balls, one of which flattened Charlesworth’s stumps.”
Gloucestershire still flying against Leicestershire: 245-0. A hundred for Cameron Bancroft, his 28th in first-class cricket, and his second in consecutive innings for Glos. Ben Charlesworth 93 not out.
At Hove, Sussex fell in a heap, all out for 150 (Hill 4-22); Yorkshire doing their best to follow suit, 32-2. No Jayden Seales for Sussex though today. Both wickets for Sean Hunt.
A kind of recovery for Glamorgan against Middlesex, from 103-7 to 151-8; 34 for Ul Hassan. Helm 3-29. And Northants, 179-4 v Derbyshire, Bartlett (53) and Keogh together.
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Time for some Callum Parkinson. Slightly concerned because the press tent is right in the firing line. Let’s go around the grounds:
A happy and generous round of applause from the spectators as Jennings reaches his hundred, picks off his helmet and waves his bat. First hundred of the round.
If Keaton Jennings (93 not out) gets his hundred – it will be his 13th f-c hundred for Lancashire, matching 13 f-c hundreds for Durham.
Surrey are now 191-8, three wickets each for Waite and Leach – not much to show for anyone other than Lawrence (84) and Pope (63). Though Roach and Clark obviously capable of some bang-crash-whallop.
And, here, a well-deserved wicket for Paul Coughlin, Bell gone , wafting, for eight. Lancs 181-3.
A bit of a test for George Bell to face Stokes off a full run. Stokes striding towards the press tent with great purpose, until turning on his heel about ten metres away Paul Allott, sitting just in front of me, suggests Bell is vulnerable to chasing wider ones.
“Hi Tanya,” hello there Mike Hill. “I’ve umpired all over Greater Manchester this last fortnight, and though I’ve scanned the skies, I have seen no swallows and only 2 swifts. Slightly worrying.”
It’s so scary – a decline of 40 per cent visiting the UK in the last decade.
A wicket for Stokes!
And Stokes pockets his first wicket as Bohannon can resist no longer, top-edging a juicy short offering into the hands of Callum Parkinson on the rope. Gone for 39. Lancs 163-2.
Bohannon bustling, not a bad time to have his best innings of the season - against the England captain.
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Hello there Gary Naylor: “Just logging in from Dublin Airport and catching those lunch scores. We sometimes forget what a range of ups and downs one finds across even a session of county championship cricket, never mind a whole round. CEOs might not like unpredictability, but we can turn up and see a different game at every ground - at least we can with the Dukes ball.”
Agreed! Even Surrey, if briefly… though they are now rocking along at 150-4 – with Lawrence unbeaten on 82, and Pope on 58.
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Here at Blackpool, Bohannon has been dropped in the slip cordon off Coughlin, inevitably strokes four through the covers almost immediately
And Stokes is back for spell number three, fielding tigerishly off his own bowling.
Time to delve into division two:
Northants, who were clap-happy at 99-0 against Derbyshire, have lost three for four – Vasconcelos for 53, Gay for 45, Procter for a duck. Two wickets for Dal.
Glamorgan have also suffered a post-lunch attack of the wickets, now 92-6: three for Helm, two for Bamber. Labuschagne, in his first match for Glamorgan this season, caught for 23.
Gloucestershire, alone amongst the counties, haven’t lost a wicket. Bancroft 72 not out, Ben Charlesworth 36 not out. Leicestershire toiling away.
And Yorkshire’s Ben Coad and George Hill chopping through Sussex: 132-6.
Seagulls circling above the Blackpool pitch, as Ben Raine runs in. He felled Josh Bohannon just a few minutes ago with a belter into the box. At the ice-cream van, an older brother buys a cone for his younger sibling, lots of happy punters on the black tip up seats lining up around the top layer of amphitheatre. They’ve been heated to a perfect bum-warming temperature by the May sun.
Volunteers wanted!
With people frolicking on the field at lunchtime, two little shout outs –
Firstly, for the donor register – with the England and Wales Transplant Cricket Club playing three games, starting this Sunday, to raise awareness of how organ donation can save lives. Ian Jones, of Penn Street Cricket Club, received a kidney transplant in 2021.
“I am extremely grateful for the second innings I now have. Enjoying time with my grandchildren, traveling, and contributing to organizations like EWTCC and PSCC are blessings I count every day.”
Secondly, for volunteers in the Bristol area interested in cricket, climate and biodiversity (admission – I am involved with this group so this is a personal plug!)
Volunteers wanted! We are seeking passionate & aspiring #volunteers to be part of a collaboration project with @Gloscricket. If you love #cricket and want to be part of the #climate #ecological solution, this is for you!https://t.co/fkxEBGbvB9
— TheNextTest (@TheNextTest) May 17, 2024
Lunchtime scores
Chelmsford: Essex v Warwickshire 76-5
Stanley Park: Lancashire 104-1 v Durham
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 67-6 v Hampshire
Taunton: Somerset 133-3 v Kent
The Oval: Surrey 110-4 v Worcestershire
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Northamptonshire 102-1
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 72-2 v Middlesex
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Gloucestershire 107-0
Hove: Sussex 105-4 v Yorkshire
Huge excitement from a bunch of kids, in club colours sitting on the stepped bank, as Lancashire clock up 100. Stokes winding up the pace now, shirt untucked. Bohannon, watchful, doesn’t look entirely at ease.
Stokes is back again, this time from the North End. Ray Baker, an ECB bowling pair of eyes, is apparently prowling around Stanley Road.
Somerset fair racing along against Kent, 121-3: Renshaw 50 off 56 balls, Lammonby not out 54 off 79 balls. Two wickets to Swanepoel.
The Essex bowling mafia doing their thing at Chelmsford – two for Snater, one each for Harmer, Porter and Cook. Warwicks 67-5 but Ed Barnard, who learned the art of digging his team out of a hole at New Road, 11 not out.
Pope and Lawrence have duly put on 69 at The Oval, Surrey 85-4. Lawrence just a six (and he’s already hit one) away from fifty.
Notts, hammer of the Lankies, are 41 for four: Barker, Abbas, Abbas, Abbott. Has finally out, for 20. Moores and Haynes rebuilding – incidentally, I’m told that Joe Moores, Tom’s cousin, is a super player in the Lancs academy system.
Mohammad Abbas' first five overs of the day...
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) May 17, 2024
⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️
⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️☝️⏺️
⏺️⏺️⏺️☝️⏺️⏺️
⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️
⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️ pic.twitter.com/aanaeV3BBA
And a wicket here in Blackpool, Wells caught off Potts for 19. Potts, a giant, puppy-like figure, furious when his last appeal was turned down, huge paws waving around, charges about in delight. 87 equals Lancs’ highest opening partnership of the season.
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Callum Parkinson out on the far boundary edge, leaps to try to catch Luke Wells’ swing, the next second he is spreadeagled on the ground. I couldn’t tell, but those who could say he got both hands to it – but it blasted through them. Ouch.
Stokes spell is over after four overs for 26.
With an hour and twenty under the belt this morning, and Lancs easing into a comfortable position – fifty for Keaton Jennings, lets go around the grounds:
A crack as Jennings pulls Stokes for four, Wells then drives him, almost on one knee, for three. At the North end, Paul Coughlin getting the benefit of Stokes’s wisdom at the end of his mark, and his ball polishing skills. Jennings drives him, rather gorgeously for four, the next threatens to go the same way save for some rather athletic fielding by B Stokes.
Pope and Lawrence at The Oval proving that 15-4 is the time for a counter-attack. Both 16 not out at pretty much a run a ball. Joe Leach, slayer of the Champions, 3-16.
First over safely negotiated, back in the grove at a fair to medium lick. Looks in racehorse shape.
I don’t want to sound like an obsessive, but I’ve just watched Stokes doing up his shoelaces through my binoculars. Do all cricket boots have velcro straps and laces, or just if you’re superman? And here he comes: on to bowl at the South End.
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Hello Mike Daniels in the Grace Road scorebox! “Cloudy morning at Grace Road. One stand full of school children which livens the place up.
“Leics win toss and bowl
“What is it with Gloucestershire and brothers? They can field the Prices and the Taylors and the Charlesworths. Can any other county boast the same?”
At mid off, Stokes touches his toes and goes through his bowling paces. With no wickets yet this morning for Durham, and runs coming at a fair lick (tricky to be precise as I can’t seem to see a scorebaord) I reckon he fancies a bowl pretty soon.
Surrey 9-3 and more
Around the grounds: Marnus Labuschagne has returned for Glamorgan, Keith Barker makes his first appearance of the season, New Zealander Michael Rae makes his debut for injury-hit Warwickshire.
And an early tumble of wickets – Notts’ Ben Slater and Will Young, both for ducks (Notts 0-2); Somerset’s Sean Dickson for a duck (Somersest 22-1) and even stranger events at The Oval where Surrey have lost three for 0 in 14 balls – Burns, Sibley and Smith all gone (Surrey 9-3)
This is a cracking piece by Nick Friend on the remarkable SACA and Yadvinder Singh – apologies if you don’t have subscriber access.
But he is also a product of extraordinary resilience and perseverance, for whom this has been the wildest of goose chases. When he was briefly on trial at New Road in 2019, he was playing second-team games by day and taking security shifts on a construction site by night.
To fund the prolonged hunt for a professional contract, he took on paper-rounds in the early hours, delivered parcels, ticked by in airport security and worked a packing job in a warehouse until the end of last season, when his boss – forever understanding – suggested that he’d need someone more full-time than the second-team circuit can afford.
“I’ve done everything,” he says, with a weary laugh.”
Meanwhile:
Jofra Archer is bowling for Sussex 2s pic.twitter.com/Wfo9R9BMZA
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) May 17, 2024
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Stokes watch
This is only Stokes’ fifth CC game since 2018, and the last time he seriously bowled was the Lord’s Test last year. There was also that cameo wicket-with-first-ball five-over spell in vain during the fifth Test innings defeat at Dharamasala in March.
Previously against Lancs, he has played eight CC games, making two centuries – 185 in 2011, 121 in 2012. And taken 18 wickets at 33.18.
And we’re off, at Stanley Park and round the grounds.
A stroll round the ground, something for everyone from an expensive coffee to hot dogs from a wagon, freshly-pressed orange juice to beer on tap. Durham have won the toss and are fielding – Ben Stokes duly to play. Also Nathan Lyon and Saqib Mahmood. Damp hangs in the air, but also excitement.
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Not convinced about the light here in light grey Stanley Park….
Thank you to itinerant voice of the blog Paul Edwards for this reminder: last time Ben Stokes played against Lancashire was at Southport in 2016 – when Durham won by two wickets and hung around afterwards and Stokes played on the outfield with young players from Southport.
Fixtures
Chelmsford: Essex v Warwickshire
Stanley Park: Lancashire v Durham
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Hampshire
Taunton: Somerset v Kent
The Oval: Surrey v Worcestershire
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Northamptonshire
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Middlesex
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Gloucestershire
Hove: Sussex v Yorkshire
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Preamble
Good morning from a northern train chugging towards Blackpool north. The skies are …filthy… but the forecast not so bad…. now arrived…..mizzle, but the taxi driver promises play.
Scott Read has delicious home-made banana cake but, perhaps more importantly, out in the middle Ben Stokes is bowling, in green socks. It will be his first Championship appearance for two years.
