Cricket

Durham's Alex Lees led the charge with a scintillating century as the hosts took control of their Vitality County Championship clash against Kent. Despite a valiant six-wicket haul from Matt Parkinson, Kent trail by 264 runs with seven wickets remaining.Lees, the Durham skipper, set the tone with a rapid 144 off 180 deliveries, including 18 boundaries. He was ably supported by Emilio Gay (52) and David Bedingham (66), who contributed to Durham's first-innings total of 360.Kent's response began poorly, losing early wickets to Daniel Hogg and Bas de Leede. However, Harry Finch and Jack Leaning steadied the ship with a 72-run partnership. Finch eventually fell for 34, leaving Kent on 96 for 3 at stumps.Parkinson was the star performer for Kent, claiming 6 for 109. He removed Lees, Ollie Robinson, and both Hogg brothers to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.Durham's innings was characterized by aggressive batting, with Bedingham hitting three fours and four sixes in his 38-ball 66. Lees reached his century in just 115 balls, while Gay impressed on his home debut with a composed 52.Kent's reply was hampered by the loss of Tawanda Muyeye and Jaydn Denly, but Finch and Leaning showed resilience with their partnership. Colin Ackermann eventually dismissed Finch, leaving Kent with a mountain to climb in the second innings.

Durham's batting prowess was on full display on day one of their Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire, as Ben McKinney and Alex Lees powered the hosts to a commanding 393 for 5.McKinney, making his second County Championship appearance, showcased his exceptional talent with a maiden first-class century. The 19-year-old left-hander dominated the Notts bowling attack, smashing boundaries with ease and laying a solid foundation for Durham.Lees, the experienced opener, provided stability and anchored the innings, reaching his third century of the season. The pair put on an impressive 189-run opening partnership, the highest for Durham this season.Nottinghamshire fought back with three wickets, but Lees combined with Ashton Turner for a 122-run partnership to keep the hosts in control. Turner, making his first-class debut for Durham, played a crucial role in accumulating runs and keeping the scoreboard ticking.McKinney's innings was a testament to his aggressive approach and shot-making ability. He reached his fifty with a cover drive and brought up his century with a beautiful cover drive. However, his knock ended on 121 when he chipped a delivery to midwicket.Lees, on the other hand, played a more patient innings, reaching his century from 223 balls with just seven boundaries. His innings was a display of resilience and determination.Despite Notts' efforts, Durham remained in a dominant position at the close of play. Turner remained unbeaten on 62, while Graham Clark contributed 7. The visitors face an uphill battle to contain Durham's batting lineup and prevent them from posting a mammoth total.

Durham's impressive batting display, led by Alex Lees's century and contributions from Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann, propelled them to a commanding 57-run victory over Lancashire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.Lees, the Durham captain, anchored the innings with a superb 111 off 126 deliveries, striking eight boundaries and a six. De Leede, the Dutch international, contributed a brisk 72 off 63 balls, while Ackermann chipped in with a quickfire 59 off 33.Durham's total of 344 for four was their sixth-highest List A score. They paced their innings expertly, with every batter contributing. Ben McKinney (43) and Michael Jones (41) provided valuable support to Lees.Lancashire's chase got off to a promising start, with Josh Bohannon scoring a career-best 147 off 119 balls. However, Ackermann and de Leede proved too strong for the Red Rose batters, sharing six wickets between them.Ackermann's off-spin accounted for three wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Keaton Jennings for 44. De Leede, with his seam bowling, claimed three wickets, including the prized scalp of Bohannon.Bohannon's valiant effort was in vain as Lancashire were bowled out for 287, falling short of Durham's target. The win marked a successful start to Durham's One-Day Cup campaign.

Durham secured a thrilling eight-wicket victory over Derbyshire Falcons in the Vitality Blast match at Derby, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the North Group.Alex Lees and Colin Ackermann played pivotal roles in Durham's triumph, scoring unbeaten half-centuries to chase down Derbyshire's modest total of 155 for 8. Lees struck 72 off 60 deliveries, while Ackermann contributed 54 from just 30 balls, sharing an unbroken stand of 88 to guide Durham to victory with seven balls to spare.Durham's bowlers laid the foundation for their success, with Nathan Sowter, Ben Raine, and Callum Parkinson claiming two wickets each. Sowter's economical spell of 2-18 proved particularly effective, while Raine and Parkinson chipped in with 2-19 and 2-33 respectively.Derbyshire's innings got off to a promising start, reaching 64 in the powerplay. However, they lost wickets at regular intervals, with Wayne Madsen and Alex Thomson top-scoring with 22 runs each. Madsen's dismissal, caught at long off by Ackermann, proved to be a crucial moment in the match.Durham's chase began cautiously, with Lees and Graham Clark putting on 45 for the first wicket. Clark's departure brought Ackermann to the crease, and the South African all-rounder injected momentum into the innings with his aggressive strokeplay. He smashed two sixes over midwicket off Thomson and drove Reece for another to ease the pressure on Durham.Despite some disciplined bowling from Derbyshire, Lees and Ackermann remained unfazed, guiding Durham to victory with seven balls to spare. Their experience and composure proved invaluable in securing the win and a place in the knockout stages.

Durham's batting prowess was on full display as they amassed a formidable 445 for 4 on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Essex. Alex Lees and Ollie Robinson led the charge with contrasting centuries, while David Bedingham's half-century contributed to the run-fest.Lees, the Durham opener, played a composed innings, reaching his century in 184 balls. His knock was characterized by a stylish chip for six and a few nervy edges early on, but he remained in control throughout. Robinson, on the other hand, adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring his fifty a ball after Lees' milestone. He finished the day unbeaten on 146, hitting four sixes in the process.Bedingham, who had scored four consecutive centuries before the Vitality Blast, looked set to add another to his tally. However, he fell short at 65, caught by Michael Pepper off Simon Harmer's bowling. Despite missing out on a century, Bedingham's contribution was significant, helping Durham build a solid foundation.Essex's only bright spot on an otherwise disappointing day was the performance of overseas debutant Eathan Bosch. The South African fast bowler struck with his second ball to dismiss Michael Jones and later accounted for Scott Borthwick. However, the Durham batsmen proved too strong for the Essex bowlers, who struggled to contain the flow of runs.The conditions at the Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford, were ideal for batting, with blue skies, humid weather, a fast outfield, and a flat pitch. Durham took full advantage of these conditions, scoring at a brisk pace and securing four batting bonus points.

Durham's Alex Lees led his team to a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes in the Vitality Blast, securing their first win of the campaign.After Leicestershire posted a competitive 176 for 7, thanks to Ben Cox's 50 and Nathan Sowter's 3 for 23, Durham chased down the target with three balls to spare.Lees anchored the chase with an unbeaten 71 from 53 balls, including three sixes. He received support from David Bedingham (43) and Ashton Turner (22).Leicestershire's innings got off to a strong start with Rishi Patel's 35 off 17 balls, but they lost wickets in quick succession, slipping to 106 for 6. However, Cox and Sowter (23*) rescued the innings with a 70-run partnership.Durham's chase began steadily, with Lees and Bedingham putting on 83 runs for the second wicket. Bedingham's dismissal brought Turner to the crease, who contributed 22 before being bowled by Scott Currie.With six runs needed off the final over, Ollie Robinson hit a boundary to seal the victory for Durham.The Foxes' bowling was hampered by 20 extras, including nine wides, which proved costly in the end.

Durham's valiant resistance against Warwickshire's mammoth total of 698 for 3 declared fell short on the third day of their Vitality County Championship clash at Edgbaston. Despite a determined rearguard action, Durham was bowled out for 517, trailing by 169 runs and facing a follow-on.Alex Lees led the Durham charge with a gritty 145 off 240 balls, while Ben Raine contributed a valuable 93 off 125 deliveries. Graham Clark (76) and Ollie Robinson (60) also made significant contributions, but Warwickshire's depleted attack, led by off-spinner Rob Yates, chipped away at the Durham batting lineup.Yates claimed a career-best four for 137, including the wickets of Clark and Raine. Will Rhodes and Olly Hannon-Dalby also played key roles, with Rhodes dismissing Lees and Hannon-Dalby removing the dangerous Matt Potts.Trailing by 181 runs on first innings, Durham closed day three on 12 for two, with the daunting task of batting out day four to avoid defeat. The pitch has proven to be relatively benign, with only 15 wickets falling in three days.The match has been characterized by high-scoring innings, with both teams boasting multiple individual three-figure scores. Durham's first innings featured four centuries, while Warwickshire's first innings included six.Despite the setback, Durham remains hopeful of salvaging a draw. The pitch is expected to continue to offer little assistance to the bowlers, and the visitors will need to dig deep and show the same resilience they displayed on day three.