Cricket

Lancashire's relegation fears intensified on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Durham at the Riverside. Ben Raine's devastating spell of 4 for 23 from 18 overs left the visitors reeling at 177 for 6 after 78 overs.Raine exploited the bowler-friendly conditions to dismantle Lancashire's top order. Luke Wells fell to the first ball of the match, while Keaton Jennings was bowled for 9. Josh Bohannon and Matty Hurst provided some resistance, but Raine's relentless accuracy and Potts' 2 for 36 kept the pressure on.Bohannon departed for 49, edging a catch to Ollie Robinson off Raine. George Bell and George Balderson also fell cheaply, leaving Hurst stranded on 74 not out. The Lancashire opener's gritty innings, which included seven fours and a six, prevented further damage before the close.Durham's bowlers dominated the day, with Chemar Holder enduring a difficult debut, finishing with 0 for 53 from eight overs. The home side will be confident of securing a victory that would boost their own promotion hopes, while Lancashire face an uphill battle to avoid relegation.

Durham's Vitality Blast campaign gained further momentum with a resounding 26-run victory over Birmingham Bears, following their triumph over Leicestershire Foxes the previous day.At Edgbaston, Durham amassed an imposing 194 for nine, led by David Bedingham's scintillating 63 from 27 deliveries. The South African opener smashed George Garton for 18 runs in four balls and reached his half-century in just 21 balls. Dan Mousley, who has impressed England selectors with his white-ball performances, claimed two wickets for 23 runs in four overs.Birmingham's chase faltered at 168 all out in 18.4 overs, despite Jake Bethell's maiden T20 half-century (50 from 32 balls). Ben Raine's exceptional bowling (5-21 in 3.4 overs) proved decisive, as he claimed crucial wickets at key moments.Durham's victory keeps the North Division table competitive, with both teams having won two and lost two matches. The Bears, on the other hand, suffered back-to-back defeats.After opting to bat, Durham lost Graham Clark early on, but Bedingham's arrival at the crease sparked a flurry of runs. He and Alex Lees put on a 60-run partnership before Lees departed for eight. Bedingham continued his onslaught, reaching his half-century with a six over mid-wicket.Jake Lintott dismissed Bedingham and Ollie Robinson, but Ashton Turner's 33 (24) helped Durham maintain their momentum. Matty Potts provided a late surge with a six and a four in the final over.Birmingham's reply began promisingly, with Alex Davies and Mousley forming an 80-run partnership. However, Raine's intervention proved pivotal, as he dismissed both batsmen in quick succession. Sam Hain and Chris Benjamin fell cheaply, leaving Bethell to lead the chase.Bethell reached his half-century but was dismissed by Potts, and Hasan Ali followed suit. Raine returned to bowl Jake Lintott and George Garton, completing a comprehensive victory for Durham.

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.