Key occasions
Sunday’s round-up
County Cricket Day 2025 was distinguished by mushy Kookaburra balls and hovering temperatures. At York, the groundsman had left sufficient grass on the pitch to present it a minty sheen, however a mixture of ball, disciplined Yorkshire bowling and heat-induced inertia examined the persistence of even essentially the most loyal fan.
The bottom grew to become increasingly lopsided as spectators slid in the direction of the shade of the oak tree behind the scorebox whereas Essex’s Tom Westley (107) and Dean Elgar (94) plodded on. And on. Westley’s hundred was his second in successive matches.
It was an excellent day for Ben Compton at Canterbury: a county cap, a three-year contract extension and 66 runs, as Kent batted their solution to a cushty 325-4 in opposition to Northamptonshire, with further half centuries for Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye.
Tom Banton, whose season hit a spectacular excessive within the first spherical with 371, however who has since discovered runs laborious to mine, floor an unbeaten 57 in opposition to Nottinghamshire. There have been additionally fifties for Tom Abell and James Rew after Somerset had wobbled at 22 for 2.
Centuries from Dom Sibley and Sam Curran put Surrey within the driving seat on the Oval. A swashbuckling Dan Lawrence half-century after tea put the tin lid on Durham’s choice to have a bowl.
Sam Robson clocked his first hundred of the season for Middlesex at a flat, dry Grace Highway. Leicestershire had been shorn of their first-choice assault attributable to accidents and Ian Holland’s presence at Main League Cricket, however Roman Walker pocketed three wickets.
Lancashire recovered from the depths of 44 for 4 at Derbyshire due to a self-denying 106 from Keaton Jennings and a chirpier 121 from Chris Inexperienced. Zak Chappell grabbed 4 wickets.
Henry Crocombe, changing Jofra Archer, spirited away by England after one sport, saved Sussex within the match in opposition to Warwickshire with three wickets. Mason Crane additionally grabbed three for Glamorgan in opposition to Gloucestershire.
And at Southampton, Barry Richards was one of many spectators as Worcestershire’s Adam Hose frying-panned the Hampshire assault throughout his 266 at greater than a run a ball. Thirty one fours and 7 sixes peppered the lounging crowds and switched the narrative of a broiling day.
Scores on the doorways
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire v Worcestershire 362-2
Taunton: Somerset 275-6 v Nottinghamshire
The Oval: Surrey 407-3 v Durham
Hove: Sussex v Warwickshire 372-7
York: Yorkshire v Essex 248-3
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Lancashire 367
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Gloucestershire 279-7
Canterbury: Kent 325-4 v Northamptonshire
Grace Highway: Leicestershire v Middlesex 336-5
Preamble
Good morning! The solar beats down and the cricket will get heavy. Welcome to day two – play begins at 11am.