Jonny Bairstow captained Yorkshire to a record-breaking three-day victory over Worcestershire, seeing his side steamroller their opponents by an unprecedented 504 runs at Headingley.
After a losing start on their return to the top flight of the Rothesay County Championship, the White Rose roared back to form on home turf, putting together the competition’s biggest runs victory.
A career-best 107 for nightwatcher Dom Bess, as well as Dawid Malan’s unbeaten 76 and a rapid 44 not out from Bairstow allowed the Tykes to declare four down on 315 to set the Pears a notional target of 610.
In reality they barely scraped to three figures, knocked over for 105 in less than 38 overs as all-rounder George Hill collected four for 23.
A record-breaking match.
— Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 13, 2025
Yorkshire's 504 run victory over Worcestershire is the largest margin of victory in County Championship history. pic.twitter.com/rgaJYi794D
In becoming the first ever team to win a game by 500 runs or more, Yorkshire eclipsed the previous best of 483 set by Surrey in 2002.
There was also a three-day win for Kent in Division Two as they chased down 316 for the loss of only two wickets.
There was a welcome half-century for England’s out-of-sorts opener Zak Crawley, who made 58 off just 66 balls following his first-innings duck, but he ceded centre stage to a pair of centurions.
Partner Ben Compton made an unbeaten 124 and Tawanda Muyeye scored one more at almost a run-a-ball in a stunning, unbroken stand of 225.
𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/q6yISEnbXQ
— Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) April 13, 2025
At Hove, Sussex moved into a position of strength against Somerset.
After declaring on 501 for seven, with Tom Haines finally removed for 141 and John Simpson unbeaten on 110, they took the field with a lead of 594.
By stumps they had reduced their opponents to 125 for four, Sean Hunt responsible for all the wickets in an inspired 10-over burst that included last week’s triple centurion Tom Banton for a duck.
Nottinghamshire and Essex continued to fight out a close contest at Trent Bridge, with all results still on the table.
That’s stumps on a solid day for Surrey! 🙌
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) April 13, 2025
We require seven wickets tomorrow, with Hampshire needing 342 runs.
🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/BXD0ELhXF4
Five quick wickets for the home side kept the first-innings deficit to just 20 and they closed on 233 for five, captain Haseeb Hameed having anchored their effort with 92.
Defending champions Surrey got the better of a curious conclusion against Hampshire at the Kia Oval, claiming late breakthroughs in murky conditions to take control.
The umpires seemed uncertain whether the light was bad enough to take the fast bowlers out of the game, flipping back and forth on a couple of occasions, only for seamers Jordan Clark and Kemar Roach to leave them in a bind at 35 for three by stumps in pursuit of 377.
Earlier, Dom Sibley hit his second century of the match and England pace prospect Sonny Baker nabbed a five-wicket haul.
Durham failed to get any late successes in four overs at Chester-le-Street, where Warwickshire will attempt to score 327 runs with all 10 wickets remaining on day four.
Durham declared eight down, Ben Raine’s 81 giving them the headroom to do so, before the Bears reached 12 without loss.
In the second tier, Lancashire were forced to follow-on after being rolled for 228 by Northamptonshire at Emirates Old Trafford.
They made a more secure start to their second attempt, with a half-century from Josh Bohannon taking them to 126 for two – still 142 behind at the close.
Gloucestershire were also sent back in by Glamorgan but showed their resolve by posting 106 without loss to trim the Welsh side’s lead to 55 heading into the final day.
At Grace Road there was an enterprising 77 from England spinner Rehan Ahmed, deployed here as an opening batter, as Leicestershire opened up a 382-run lead over Derbyshire with two wickets left.
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