England captain Ben Stokes’s second match for Durham this season is following a similar pattern to the first, as he thrived with the ball but struggled with the bat.
Stokes returned to action last week at Blackpool, picking up seven wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings. But he could not build an innings of note, twice falling to spin.
Against Somerset at Chester-le-Street, he bowled well once more, picking up four for 54 as the visitors were bowled out for 171 having been asked to bat first. Stokes, looking fit as a fiddle, bowled with pace and venom, with three of his wickets caught in the cordon and one lbw.
When it came to batting, however, Stokes made a duck, trapped lbw by his former England team-mate Jake Ball. Stokes appeared to question the decision, perhaps thinking he was outside the line.
Durham had made a poor start to their response, falling to 198 for three, before David Bedingham and Ollie Robinson bailed them out with a stand of 114. But Robinson was the first of three quick wickets to fall to Ball, dragging second-placed Somerset back into the game.
This is the second of four matches Stokes will play for Durham before the Test summer begins on July 10 and if he and the England management could chose one discipline for him to thrive in it would be bowling. He is back at full tilt for the first time in years, following his surgery on a long-standing left knee issue in November. He is clear that he would like to return to full all-round status against West Indies and Sri Lanka this summer as England build towards a big 2025 that sees India visit for five Tests, then the Ashes down under.
Elsewhere in Division One Essex enjoyed a strong day at Canterbury, reaching stumps 287 for four, with the spiky young batsman Jordan Cox 51 not out against his former county, Kent.
The weather meant just 39 overs were possible at Old Trafford, but that was long enough for Lancashire stalwart Tom Bailey to return to form with three for 25 against Warwickshire. The visitors reached stumps on 89 for three.
Sadly no play was possible at New Road, where Worcestershire were due to play for the first time since eight floods hit the ground this winter. Worcestershire had played their first two home games this season at Kidderminster but a huge community effort had seen New Road prepared for play this week, but another overnight deluge washed out the opening day against Nottinghamshire.
When play is possible, it will also be Worcestershire’s first home game since the sudden death of Josh Baker, the 20-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder.
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