Ben Stokes produced his first half-century of the season as 23 wickets fell on a dramatic day in the Vitality County Championship match between Durham and Worcestershire at Seat Unique Riverside.
Ben Stokes scored 56 in a welcome return to form for the home side in their 190-run innings, but Nathan Smith impressed for the visitors with figures of 4 for 36, while Ben Allison and Matthew Waite took three and two wickets, respectively.
Worcestershire appeared to be making steady progress in their reply at 71 for 2, but they lost their final eight wickets for 41 runs, with Matthew Potts taking 4 for 29 to strengthen his case for selection in the first Test of the summer.
Durham began their second innings with a 78-run lead, but lost three fast wickets, expanding their lead to 111 before the close.
Ben Stokes’ Counter-Attack After Break
https://gty.im/1781864923
Worcestershire capitalized on favorable conditions after winning the toss at a dreary Chester-le-Street. Smith found his line and length quickly, trapping Durham skipper Scott Borthwick lbw with the sixth ball of the innings.
Tom Taylor followed with a full length to Colin Ackermann’s outside edge, and Gareth Roderick made a great diving catch in front of the first slip. David Bedingham, Division One’s best player, reacted with a flurry of crunching boundaries, demonstrating his exquisite touch at the crease.
The South African international reached 21 before making a rare error of judgment, allowing a hooping Ben Allison ball to crash into his off-stump.
Alex Lees attacked Matthew Waite‘s opening over, scoring two boundaries, but the bowler prevailed, and Durham’s opener became the session’s fourth wicket.
Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes put up a 46-run stand to stem the wave of wickets. After being snubbed for the England Test selection, Robinson produced another outstanding performance, effortlessly reaching the off-side boundary.
He reached 35 and appeared to be on track to add another fifty-plus to his tally, only to be stopped by a cracking inswinger from the returning Smith before lunch. Ben Stokes increased the ante after lunch, testing his arm with powerful drives down the wicket.
The England captain had the occasional stroke of luck, but he still managed to score a vital half-century from 73 balls ahead of the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.
Ben Stokes Falls to Allison’s Short Ball
https://gty.im/1748482212
Allison, on the other hand, replied with a short ball that Stokes gloved behind on an attempted hook, resulting in 56. Durham’s innings unraveled after his departure, with Smith and Allison dismissing the hosts 10 short of 200.
Borthwick went to Ben Stokes for inspiration, and his first delivery in the attack should have resulted in a wicket, but Bas de Leede dropped Libby at point.
Stokes, undeterred, found Libby’s outside edge with the following ball, and Lees made a routine catch at third slip. Kashif Ali defied Ben Stokes and Peter Siddle in challenging conditions, as bad light interrupted play for 30 minutes.
The break favored the home team, as Worcestershire’s batting ranks fell from 71 for 2 to 112 all out. Siddle began the rout by knocking out Rob Jones and Adam Hose before Ben Raine pinned Ethan Brookes lbw.
Potts then grabbed center stage in his second period, blasting through the lower order, including Taylor and Smith in consecutive deliveries. Amir Virdi survived the hat-trick ball, and his valiant efforts enabled Kashif Ali to reach fifty with a six over the leg-side boundary before falling to Raine.
Batting didn’t get any easier in the sunny dusk as Lees, Borthwick, and Clark all went for the hosts, with Smith and Taylor picking up wickets once more as the game hung in the balance heading into day two.
For More Great Content
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
