Ben Duckett shines for Nottinghamshire while wickets tumble at Kia Oval
Ben Duckett starred with 197 not out to provide the backbone to an erratic but entertaining Nottinghamshire batting display on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
The England batter hit 24 fours in a 230-ball innings and received good support from Ben Slater (65) and Jack Haynes (74), but they were the only visiting batters to reach double figures in a total of 367 for eight.
Olly Hannon-Dalby took four for 58 on his 200th appearance for Warwickshire.
A dramatic opening day at the Kia Oval saw 15 wickets fall between Surrey and Hampshire, leaving the hosts trailing by 28 runs after bowlers had dominated proceedings.
☁ Bad light!
That's stumps for today – Notts post 367/8, centurion Duckett (197*) and Pennington (5*) will resume our first innings tomorrow. 👊#WARNOT pic.twitter.com/Q246R5pwUv
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) April 26, 2024
Hampshire had been dismissed for 151 after being sent in first with Daniel Worrall, Jordan Clark and Gus Atkinson all claiming three wickets each.
Surrey then slumped to 44 for four in reply before captain Rory Burns (39 not out) and Ryan Patel (41) hit back to help the champions reach 123 for five. Hampshire fast bowler Kyle Abbott reached 600 first-class wickets when he trapped Dan Lawrence lbw.
Colin Ackermann scored his maiden Durham century to help his side reach 358 all out against Division One pacesetters Essex.
The former Leicestershire captain struck 112 before being dismissed by Sam Cook and Durham were helped by 90 from Ollie Robinson and 52 from David Bedingham.
Cook claimed three for 60 and Jamie Porter three for 57 before captain Cook – opening the batting – and Dean Elgar saw out the last two overs of the day as Essex finished on five without loss.
Tom Banton kept Somerset’s innings together with 92 runs from 140 balls against Worcestershire at Kidderminster.
Jason Holder had threatened to put Worcestershire in a position of strength after the West Indies all-rounder produced a devastating spell to dismiss Andrew Umeed, James Rew and Lewis Gregory in the space of 12 deliveries immediately before tea, reducing Somerset to 181 for six.
Banton ensured there was no complete collapse with 92 before being run out and Migael Pretorius’ late cameo of 49 helped Somerset recover as they declared on 309 for nine. Worcestershire reached 14 without loss in reply.
In Division Two, England duo Joe Root and Harry Brook shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 71 as Yorkshire closed their opening day on 276 for three against Derbyshire.
Harry Brook 😍 pic.twitter.com/VzCjq9YCJg
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) April 26, 2024
Adam Lyth laid the foundations with with 97 at the top of order and the pair built on his work after coming together at 205 for three, with Root unbeaten on 65 and Brook on 44 before bad light and rain intervened.
Gloucestershire seamer Marchant de Lange snapped up his 350th first-class wicket as he took six for 49 to help bowl Middlesex out for 203 at Bristol.
The South African ripped through the Middlesex batting order, with Josh De Caires (37) and former Gloucestershire all-rounder Ryan Higgins (30) top-scoring for the visitors.
Bad light ended play 6.2 overs early with Gloucestershire on 82 for three.
Emilio Gay (88), George Bartlett (71 not out) and captain Luke Procter (64) scored half-centuries as Northamptonshire made 337 for six against Leicestershire.