Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, Cinch County Floor, Northampton (day three)
Durham 205 & 246-7: Lees 80; Procter 2-31
Northamptonshire 263: Gross sales 69; Potts 4-49
Durham (3 pts) lead Northants (4 pts) by 188 runs
Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter struck twice in two balls, together with the wicket of Ben Stokes, to tug Northamptonshire firmly again into competition towards fellow promotion challengers Durham.
Durham misplaced three wickets on the finish of an absorbing, hard-fought third day of this County Championship Division Two match at Wantage Highway to take a 188-run lead into stumps.
After skipper Alex Lees made 80, Stokes (37) and Mayank Agarwal (48) had mixed in a fifth-wicket partnership of 89 in nearly 24 overs as Durham began to construct a large lead.
However with simply six overs remaining, Procter returned to say his 2 hundredth first-class wicket when he trapped Stokes lbw after which picked up Colin Ackermann first ball. Agarwal then fell simply earlier than the shut of play, Yuzi Chahal and Calvin Harrison each taking two wickets on a pitch providing prodigious flip.
Within the morning, Northamptonshire secured a useful first-innings lead of 58 earlier than they have been bowled out for 263, Lewis McManus ending unbeaten on 29. Matthew Potts claimed the ultimate three wickets to complete with figures of 4-49, whereas Stokes took 3-58.
Earlier, resuming on 225-7 after a delayed begin attributable to rain, Northamptonshire quickly misplaced Louis Kimber when he shouldered arms to Potts and was bowled.
McManus and Ben Sanderson, although, counterattacked, including 36 for the ninth wicket as they earned their aspect a valuable batting bonus level. McManus square-drove Stokes for 4 whereas Sanderson struck a pacy full supply from Potts down the bottom, earlier than Potts wrapped up the innings within the house of two balls. First Sanderson hit low to mid-off, whereas Chahal was completed for tempo and bowled.
Ben McKinney performed just a few lusty blows however by no means appeared totally settled, troubled by each the spinners and Ben Sanderson’s away motion. Lees in the meantime appeared extra composed, driving each Procter and Chahal by way of the covers.
Durham had nearly worn out the deficit when McKinney misjudged the size and went again to 1 that spun sharply from Harrison and was bowled off the ultimate ball earlier than lunch.
After the interval, as Northamptonshire rotated their spinners, Durham performed watchfully with Lees and Will Rhodes marking a stand of 64 in 24 overs.
Lees although did tackle Chahal, driving by way of cowl and placing him for a straight six into the higher tier of the Spencer Pavilion.
Amid a sequence of assured lbw appeals from Harrison, the leg-spinner as a substitute effected the breakthrough with a pointy little bit of fielding at backward level as Rhodes was run out for 27.
Dangerman David Bedingham may solely add 5 to his first-innings 81 earlier than he was trapped plumb lbw by Chahal. The India worldwide then eliminated Lees simply earlier than tea with one which drifted away earlier than spinning again to hit center stump.
Either side went toe-to-toe after tea with neither capable of dominate for the primary 90 minutes. Chahal had a robust lbw shout turned down towards Stokes earlier than Agarwal pulled him by way of midwicket.
Stokes smashed Sanderson straight to deliver up the 150 and reverse swept Chahal behind sq.. However for essentially the most half, the skilled Northants bowling pair saved the Durham batters trustworthy and have been largely handled with respect in return.
Agarwal obtained one away by way of the covers off Nathan McSweeney, however the Australian discovered sharp flip and bounce to hassle Stokes as Northants continued with spin.
Stokes broke the strain by reverse sweeping Harrison sq. for 4 earlier than Procter’s double-strike. After he trapped Stokes lbw, Ackermann was caught at slip earlier than Agarwal was adjudged caught by George Bartlett at short-leg off Harrison, though replays steered the ball had come off pad, not bat.
Report provided by ECB Reporters’ Community, supported by Rothesay.
