County Championship Team of the Week - Matchday 6

Week six of the Rothesay County Championship has restored the table to parity, with every side having played five games – meaning we are already over a third of the way through the red ball season. In Division One, there was a huge win for the seemingly unstoppable Nottinghamshire who move 12 points clear at the summit, while Sussex claimed victory to move into third place. Yorkshire’s draw with Essex means that Somerset sink into the relegation zone.

In the second division, Glamorgan recorded their first win of the season with an innings victory away at Kent. Elsewhere, Northamptonshire recovered from some precarious positions to beat Lancashire – with the Red Rose currently holding the wooden spoon in Division Two. 

1. Adam Lyth – Yorkshire (58 & 185) (0-5)

Adam Lyth’s first innings 58 was a key factor in Yorkshire reaching 216 by the time Essex bowled them out towards the end of day one. On a difficult wicket at Chelmsford, only eight of the 22 batsmen from either side had reached double figures after one innings each. 

The opener would return on day two after Essex collapsed for 123 – and would quickly pile the pressure on the home side. With half-centuries from James Wharton and Jonny Bairstow aiding the cause, Lyth put on 185 runs from 287 balls, spending just shy of seven hours at the crease. It was Lyth’s second century of the season, both coming in the second innings away from home. The visitors would post a spectacular target of 520 for the Chelmsford outfit to chase.

2. Jake Libby – Worcestershire (13 & 167)

Jake Libby will be wishing he can play at Hove every week. His career-best score of 215 was scored on the ground in 2022, with the opener returning in 2023 to score 198. He would reproduce this form in 2025, but it was a solo effort that fell short of a remarkable victory.

Worcestershire starred down the barrel at a staggering chase of 361, thanks in part to a 104-run first innings deficit. Libby saw opening partner Gareth Roderick depart after just 5.3 overs and may have been fearing the worst given Worcestershire’s shameful batting collapses this season. Libby would stand tall, scoring 167 of the 361 required runs, but would be dismissed as the eighth man to fall with the Pears still 75 runs short of their target.

3. Tom Latham – Warwickshire (184)

Warwickshire’s marquee overseas signing joined up with the Bears squad for the first time this season as New Zealand opener Tom Latham made his debut. With the settled partnership of Rob Yates and Alex Davies at the top of the order, Latham slotted in at number three in a batting lineup full of international quality. 

That quality would immediately shine through as Latham ticked along to post 184, departing with the score 450-5. The knock allowed the middle order to play without pressure, leading to Ed Barnard recording a career-best 177 not out, while Zen Malik scored a maiden First Class ton with an unbeaten 105. Despite sitting second in the Division One table, Latham’s innings satisfies Warwickshire’s need for top order runs, having averaged just 242.5 runs per innings as a side before this week’s clash with Surrey.

4. Marcus Harris – Lancashire (121 & 43)

Just five games into the season, Marcus Harris is already a strong favourite to be regarded as the best overseas signing of 2025. The Australia opener has batted at four for Lancashire, scoring a mammoth 749 runs from 10 innings, averaging 83.2 in the process, giving himself a shot at reaching the 1,000-run mark before the end of May. Not only has he held together Lancashire’s batting lineup, but he has thrown himself back into the picture for a Test recall. 

Harris scored his third century of the season at Wantage Road giving his side a rare lead of 38 runs at the halfway point of the match. Keaton Jennings (41) and Matty Hurst (59) were the only two Lancashire batsmen to score above 13 runs as the Aussie piled on 121. Chasing 236 in the fourth innings, Harris top scored with 43, but after his 83-run stand with Josh Bohannon was broken, the lower order again collapsed to fall to a 70-run defeat. Harris will now take on the responsibility of interim club captain following Jennings stepping down from the role on Tuesday afternoon.

5. Ben Foakes (WK) – Surrey (174*) (2 catches)

After Warwickshire’s assault with the bat on a flat wicket at Edgbaston, Surrey were faltering 346-9, still 319 runs behind their hosts. In partnership with Matthew Fisher – who scored 40 runs from 145 balls himself – Ben Foakes was able to steer Surrey to 504 all out. Still 161 runs behind the eight ball, the reigning champions were forced to follow-on, but Foakes’ knock had delayed the inevitable until the afternoon session of day four, forcing the draw. 174 not out marks a new career high score for Foakes, beating his 149 that was posted against Hampshire in 2016. 

Surrey have a uniquely unsettled batting lineup in a different way to most counties. Ollie Pope’s international commitments saw Ryan Patel move back to number three, while short-term overseas signing Kurtis Patterson was left on the sidelines. Surprisingly, Jason Roy was given a first red ball outing in five years, replacing Jamie Smith. Foakes’ presence in the middle order will give Surrey much needed stability as they prepare to chase down early pace-setters Nottinghamshire. 

6. Ben Kellaway – Glamorgan (181*) (0-2 & 2-18)

For the second week in a row, Ben Kellaway makes this side, but it was his batting efforts that was the talking point this week. Kellaway struck his maiden professional century with an unbeaten 181, posting the impressive total in just 228 balls. Glamorgan batters got in and got out before going big at Canterbury, with Jersey-born Asa Tribe falling an agonising six runs short of a maiden ton, but Kellaway’s knock ensured the visitors had a chokehold on the game from close on day one.

The efforts of the 21-year-old all-rounder meant that Glamorgan not only recorded an impressive innings victory at Canterbury but also took four of the five batting bonus points on offer. Combined with bowling the hosts out inside 75 overs, the men from Cardiff took a 23-point haul back along the M4.

7. George Hill – Yorkshire (0 & 4) (6-51 & 3-31)  

Yorkshire’s George Hill is a genuine candidate to feature in future England Test squads. Since making his First Class debut in 2020, the 24-year-old has scored over 2,500 runs at an average of 31.8, as well as taking 96 wickets at 23.4. He was a standout performer with the ball at Chelmsford, taking career best match figures of 9-82 across both innings.

At the end of day one, Hill got the prized wicket of Dean Elgar before quickly dismissing nightwatchman Jamie Porter, leaving Essex 27-3 overnight. Hill would return to see off Robin Das, before blowing away the tail with three wickets in 17 deliveries. After dismissing captain Tom Westley in the second innings, Hill grabbed the crucial wickets of Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper – who had both faced over 200 balls- to set up a thrilling final hour that saw Essex hold on for a draw with one wicket remaining.

8. Jack Carson – Sussex (102 & 39*) (0-5 & 0-31)

In the current climate of English spin, Jack Carson’s name has been mentioned on a handful of occasions when discussing who Ben Stokes and Brendan McCullum should invest their time in. The off-spinner has taken just six wickets this season, although he does ply his trade on a Hove wicket that tends to favour seam bowling. 

Carson’s 11 First Class 50’s prove that he has always been handy with the bat, but the Northern Irishman notched his maiden century this week with a crucial 102 against Worcestershire. Coming to the crease after Tom Taylor ripped through the Sussex top order, Carson partnered Fynn Hudson-Prentice on 88-6, before taking control of the game and steering Sussex to a respectable 284. His innings ended with a strike rate just shy of 74, wasting no time to drag Sussex out of a potentially match-defining rut.

9. Ben Sanderson – Northamptonshire (19 & 65) (1-49 & 1-40)

At number nine, Ben Sanderson gets his second feature in as many weeks. After his nine-wicket heroics last week, he sneaks in towards the bottom of the order due to his tail-end – and possibly game winning – batting efforts against Lancashire. 

Northamptonshire’s top order was quickly dealt with by Lancashire, collapsing to 67-6 in the first innings and 107-5 in the second. Sanderson came to the crease on day two with his side 189-7, only 151 runs ahead in a tight affair. Discontent with the position of the game, the pace bowler unleashed a devastating attack on the Red Rose bowlers, striking 65 from a mere 28 deliveries. His innings moved the game into a neutral state, setting a target of 236 for the visitors to chase, before the quarter of Sanderson, Liam Guthrie, Harry Conway and Calvin Harrison provided Northants with their first win of the 2025 campaign.

10. Kyle Abbott – Hampshire (67 & 18*) (5-57 & 3-62)   

Hampshire’s performance at Trent Bridge was certainly one to forget for the county. Nottinghamshire scored 678 runs in the match with Freddie McCann, Jack Haynes and Liam Patterson-White all reaching three figures (and all being unfortunate to miss out on this side). In response, Hampshire could only muster 196 and 116 in their respective innings, falling to a 366-run defeat.

Kyle Abbott’s individual efforts bucked the trend of his teammates sub-par performance. Abbott took a staggering 43rd career fifer in the first innings as he gutted Nottinghamshire’s middle order, before dismissing both openers on his way to a three-wicket haul in the second innings. The South African top scored with 67 during Hampshire’s first innings after coming to the crease at 106-7, while he was left stranded at the end of the game as the hosts wrapped up the win at the end of day three.

11. Tom Taylor – Worcestershire (32 & 10*) (5-56 & 2-37)  

Another player involved in a losing effort, Tom Taylor’s first innings bowling spell will be up there with the best of the season come September. After finding no success with the new ball, Taylor and partner Ben Allison were rested and reintroduced with Sussex forming another solid opening partnership. 

With the score 80-0, Taylor grabbed the wicket of Daniel Hughes before dismissing Tom Clark and Tom Alsop for three and eight ball ducks respectively, as Allison found the edge of James Coles leaving the hosts 81-4 at lunch. After the break, Taylor completed his five-wicket haul with the important wickets of John Simpson and Tom Haines, finishing his rout with Sussex 88-6.

County Championship Team of the Week - Matchday 5

Week five of the Rothesay County Championship saw seven games take place, with three in the top division while there was a full fixture list in Division Two. Division One saw two thrilling run chases as Warwickshire and Somerset secured victory over Yorkshire and Essex respectively, leaving the two defeated counties languishing towards the foot of the table.

In Division Two, early high-flyers Leicestershire picked up their third win of the season after a strong first-innings performance saw them breeze past Northamptonshire, while Middlesex chased down 365 to deny Kent an almost certain victory. There were three draws across the country, with the most notable coming from Sophia Gardens where the match ended with Derbyshire needing 30 runs and Glamorgan needing one wicket to force a result.

1. Rishi Patel – Leicestershire (105 & 0)

Rishi Patel was many people’s pick for top run scorer in Division Two this campaign, but his season was halted immediately after sustaining a hand injury while fielding on day one of the Foxes opening game. He batted at 11 – failing to score – before returning last week, making just one run across two innings. 

Scoring 105 against Northamptonshire, Patel was back to his old self, churning out a classic openers century at a strike rate of 55. His ton set up the host’s score of 304, becoming even more important considering both sides failed to break the 200 run mark in the three remaining innings. With Patel and the more aggressive Sol Budinger at the top of the order, the Foxes are sitting pretty at the top of Division Two, 21 points clear of second-placed Derbyshire and 30 clear of Middlesex in third.   

2. Daniel Bell-Drummond – Kent (5 & 223)

It has taken five weeks, but we finally have moved a number three batsman up to open for the sake of balance. Alarm bells were ringing in the away dressing room at Lord’s when Kent were trailing by 29 runs at the close of play on day one after winning the toss and electing to bat. An innings-break deficit of 109 looked a tough challenge to navigate on a wicket that had saw only two players score more than 40 across both sides.

Captain Daniel Bell-Drummond notched his 19th First 	Class century in style, going on to score 223 – passing 9,000 First Class runs in the process – and give the Canterbury-based side an unlikely shot at victory. Partners came and went, with Zak Crawley’s 68 the next highest contribution, but Bell-Drummond batted with the lower order and was the last wicket to fall as Kent posted 473, setting Middlesex 365 to win.

3. Ollie Price – Gloucestershire (253*) (1-54 & 0-32)

Ollie Price is one of the country’s brightest young batting talents, scoring over 2,500 runs since his Gloucestershire debut in the summer of 2021. His unbeaten 253 at Old Trafford was a career best for the 23-year-old who racked up his second century of the season, remaining at the crease for a staggering nine-and-a-half hours.

In response to Lancashire’s 450, Gloucestershire’s number three put on a 203-run stand with Miles Hammond to move the visitors within touching distance of avoiding the follow-on. As the lower order all got settled at the crease but departed before seriously impacting the scorers, Price stuck around, allowing the visitors to declare eight wickets down for 589. 

4. Marcus Harris – Lancashire (167 & 24)

Marcus Harris spent two years at Gloucestershire in 2022 and 2023, but the Australia opener came back to haunt his former side in Manchester. Harris scored 167, acting as the backbone to strong partnerships with Josh Bohannon and Matty Hurst – with the latter combining for 212 runs. 

The 32-year-old has scored 585 runs in a Lancashire shirt at an average of 83.5, the highest in Division Two and 258 more than the Red Rose’s second highest scorer, Bohannon. After last year’s disappointing campaign from 2024’s overseas signing Tom Bruce, Harris has provided an air of much-needed stability to a middle order that has a tendency to collapse quickly and dramatically. 

5. James Rew (WK) – Somerset (9 & 116) (2 catches)

Arguably the performance of the week, James Rew steered Somerset home to chase down 321 on a wicket that was almost indistinguishable from the grass surrounding it. Facing an attack consisting of Jamie Porter, Simon Harmer and new England man Sam Cook, Rew batted beyond his years to move Somerset into a winning position. By the time the wicketkeeper was eventually dismissed, the men from Taunton required just nine runs with three wickets in hand.

Rew will undoubtedly play Test cricket in the future. In just 45 First Class matches, the 21-year-old has scored 10 centuries and eight half-centuries, averaging over 43 in Division One. For comparison, at the time of Joe Root’s England debut, the then 21-year-old Root had eight centuries from 37 matches at an average of 38. In a time of uncertainty regarding England’s batting lineup, it is not unreasonable to see Jamie Smith promoted up the order to accommodate Rew behind the stumps. 

6. Graham Clark – Durham (160)

Durham’s draw at away at Hampshire was hardly the most thrilling of games, with the draw becoming almost a certainty halfway through the second day of play. The visitors were sitting precariously on 82-4 as Graham Clark walked to the crease, but the 32-year-old produced a gritty 160 to extinguish any scares of a lower order collapse.

Clark stayed at the Southampton crease for 309 deliveries, allowing the tail-end to add valuable runs to an already sizeable total. Durham were dismissed for 511, with Hampshire replying with 470. Durham’s openers Alex Lees and Emilio Gay steadily made their way to 61-0 before rain forced both sides to shake hands and call time on a bat-dominated draw.

7. Ben Kellaway – Glamorgan (22 & 74) (0-17 & 5-101)

Glamorgan’s Ben Kellaway is one of the County Championship’s most unique bowlers. The 21-year-old is an ambidextrous bowler who is able to bowl right-arm off-spin as well as left-arm orthodox. It was his right-arm that did the talking against Derbyshire, taking a crucial five-wicket haul in the fourth innings of the game to slow down the visitors’ charge to victory.

Kellaway already had two wickets to his name, but with Derbyshire needing 60 runs from 54 balls with five wickets in hand, the game was in the balance. Dangerman Martin Andersson top-edged a reverse sweep into the hands of wicketkeeper Chris Cooke, before Kellaway turned one through the gate of new batsman Zak Chappell with the very next ball. He would grab the wicket of Anuj Dal to claim career best bowling figures, but the visitors would bat out for a draw with a single wicket remaining. 

8. Simon Harmer – Essex (3 & 4) (4-43 & 4-120)

On the previously mentioned Somerset wicket, Simon Harmer produced his usual magic to take eight wickets in the game. Despite Taunton often providing favourable wickets for quality spinners, many sides would have been forgiven for selecting an all-seam attack, but you can’t leave out Harmer.

The South Africa man prized the wickets of Tom Lammonby and Tom Abell in the first innings, reducing Somerset to 78-5. Coincidentally, the leg spinner would dismiss the duo again second time around – along with Tom Banton – to leave Somerset hanging by a thread on an identical 78-5. His magic would be put on hold by Rew’s spectacular salvation innings, but Harmer would continue to hold up an end, ticking along at just above three runs per over.

9. Ben Sanderson – Northamptonshire (18 & 32) (3-62 & 6-72)

Northamptonshire duo Ben Sanderson and Harry Conway bowled in tandem to take a combined 17 wickets in the game, but it is the former that sneaks into this team having taken nine wickets for 134 runs. After Patel’s earlier century had put Leicestershire in the driving seat at Grace Road, Sanderson came back with a vengeance in the second innings, dismissing all of the top five to reduce the hosts to 52-5. 

Partner Conway would take over, handling the majority of the lower order after his own first-innings fifer, before Sanderson would finish off the assault with the wicket of number nine Ben Green. A top-order collapse of their own would follow Northants as Josh Hull clean bowled Ricardo Vasconcelos, Luke Procter and James Sales to leave the efforts of Sanderson and Conway in vain.

10. Toby Roland-Jones – Middlesex (24 & 23*) (5-33 & 3-107)

Middlesex stalwart Toby Roland-Jones rolled back the years to take an eight-wicket haul as his side secured a narrow victory over Kent at Lord’s. Roland-Jones – now 37-years-old – would take the wickets of five batsmen in the Kent middle order, quickly seeing them falter to 102-8, while Dane Paterson, Henry Brookes and Ryan Higgins cleaned up around him.

A handy 24 with the bat would turn out to prove more important than initially thought after Bell-Drummond’s mammoth knock to set up a close encounter. The Middlesex skipper would return with ball in hand to dismiss the dangerous Ben Compton and Jack Leaning, before he would partner Zafar Gohar at the crease to see his side over the line with bat in hand. The duo put on a 52-run stand while number 11 Paterson sat nervously in the pavilion as Middlesex move above Kent into third in Division Two.

11. Ethan Bamber – Warwickshire (0*) (5-47 & 4-60)

Ethan Bamber’s move from Middlesex to Warwickshire is possibly one of the most underrated moves over the county winter. 26-year-old Bamber was already considered a leader of the Middlesex attack, partnering with Roland-Jones to take the new ball. Bamber has taken 18 wickets at an average of 27.5 since his move up the M40. 

In partnership with Ed Barnard, the duo made lightwork of Yorkshire’s top order, leaving them 32-3, before Bamber would come back to dismiss new England White Ball captain, Harry Brook. In the second innings, Bamber would get the wickets of Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root – with Root on 90 at the time. Add in the runout of James Wharton along with his nine-wicket haul, the Warwickshire seamer was easily man of the match as the Bears move up to second in the division.  

County Championship Team of the Week - Matchday 4

The fourth round of the Rothesay County Championship was the first that saw a reduced number of games. Five matches took place this week, while eight teams spread across the two divisions took their chance to rest and recover, having a much-needed break in a hectic start to the summer.

Nottinghamshire claimed an important win in an early top of the table clash with Sussex, while Surrey recorded their first win of the season at home to Somerset. There was a low-scoring shootout at New Road as Durham bettered Worcestershire, while Leicestershire continued their exciting start to the season with victory away at Gloucestershire. In a week dominated by the bowlers – meaning some rejigging of the order – let’s assess the best performers of the round.

1. Rory Burns – Surrey (76 & 20*)

Surrey captain Rory Burns has endured a disappointing start to the First Class campaign, drawing a parallel with his side’s underwhelming start to their third consecutive title defence. After a first innings 73 against Essex during the opening game, the former England man failed to pass 25 runs in each of his last four innings.

In his familiar opening partnership with Dom Sibley, the duo put on 129 for Surrey’s first wicket, in response to 283 from Somerset. Burns would contribute 76 of those runs, finishing as the Brown Caps’ highest scorer. He would put in a fantastic captains display in the field, assisting his bowlers as the visitors were limited to just 119, before finishing not out as his side coasted home to chase a miniscule target. 

2. Haseeb Hameed – Nottinghamshire (85 & 62*)

In response to Sussex’s below par 169, Haseeb Hameed held together a Nottinghamshire innings that always threatened to fall apart at any moment. When Joe Clarke was dismissed for 19, the hosts sat on 80-3, albeit a much prettier position than their south-coast counterparts but still a couple of wickets away from being dragged into a dogfight. Contributions from Jack Haynes and Liam Patterson-White helped steady a ship that Hameed was guiding through danger.

The Notts skipper went on to score 85 in the first innings, before ticking along nicely to finish unbeaten on 62 as his side went clear at the summit of Division One. Hameed would play second-fiddle to Ben Duckett, with the England man smashing 59 from 31 balls to see the hosts over the line. Hameed has moved onto 443 runs at an average of 110.75 this season, the third most in the top tier of the County Championship.

3. David Lloyd – Derbyshire (93) (0-1 & 0-15)

Opening batsman David Lloyd has dropped to number three in order to give this side some balance. Often overshadowed by the blistering starts fellow opener Caleb Jewell has given Derbyshire this season, Lloyd stepped up to the plate when his Australian partner was dismissed for a four-ball duck. A 156-run stand with Harry Came guided Derbyshire to a much more stable position, although Lloyd was sent back to the pavilion just seven runs short of a seventh First Class ton.

Lloyd’s knock was much needed as the 32-year-old made his first significant contribution of the season. In his six prior visits to the crease, the opener had mustered a mere 76 runs and had failed to score more than 23 in a single innings. 

4. Ian Holland – Leicestershire (52 & 2) (3-36 & 4-32)

Ian Holland has made a fantastic start to the 2025 campaign with ball in hand, taking 20 wickets across Leicestershire’s first four games. On Friday, Holland dismissed the dangerous Ben Charlesworth and Oliver Price within the first nine overs as Gloucestershire were 14-2. He would later come back into the attack to see off Dominic Goodman, limiting the hosts to 252. He dismissed the trio again in the second innings – this time with Goodman coming in as nightwatchman – as well as tailender Ajeet Singh Dale, claiming seven wickets for the match.

Having played as a makeshift opener and in the middle order this season, Holland will bat at four in this team, one of the main casualties of the rejigging mentioned at the start. Leicestershire had an innings break lead of 10 runs, thanks in part to Holland’s 52. The USA international came to the crease with the foxes 37-4, but steady partnerships with fellow half-centurions Lewis Hill and Ben Cox allowed the visitors to not only stay in the game – but start to take control of it.  

5. James Bracey (WK) – Gloucestershire (93* & 5) (3 catches)

James Bracey again makes the cut, however this week the focus is almost solely on his batting efforts. Gloucestershire were faltering at 21-3 when the wicketkeeper came to the crease, and would soon collapse to 88-7, leaving Bracey to bat with the tail in order to give his side any hope of a respectable total.

Fortunately for him, Zaman Akhter and Josh Shaw scored a combined 74 runs to aid Gloucestershire’s revival efforts, while more importantly surviving 128 balls between them. This allowed Bracey to have invaluable time at the crease, scoring an unbeaten 93 from 141 deliveries. His efforts set up a close game before a second innings collapse saw the hosts jump from 87-1 to 105-7, setting Leicestershire up to snatch victory. 

6. Martin Andersson – Derbyshire (107) (1-12) (0-2)

Martin Andersson faced his former county Middlesex after departing the Lords’ based side over the winter, heading to the East Midlands to join Derbyshire following a short stint with the county in the latter stages of 2024. Two weeks ago, Andersson hit his maiden First Class century against Leicestershire, and this week scored his second with a career-best 107.

Following on from Lloyd’s 93 and Came’s 73, Andersson put further pressure on the Middlesex attack to guide Derbyshire to 472. The score was so big that the visitors replied with 315 from 110.1 overs, yet were still made to follow-on by Derbyshire. The placid nature of the wicket at the County Ground meant that the hosts never got a real chance at securing the win as Middlesex finished the game on 307-7.

7. Jordan Clark – Surrey (9) (5-68 & 3-24)

You would have got good odds at the start of April if you said that Surrey would have to wait until week four to have a bowler in this team of the week, but Jordan Clark’s performance against Somerset has finally seen a Surrey man enter this bowling attack. The all-rounder took his seventh First Class five-wicket haul at The Oval, dismissing four of the Cider Men’s lower order.

Clark bagged his first wicket at an important time, seeing off the destructive Tom Banton just as the batsman was starting to look comfortable at the crease. Clark would return before Surrey took the new ball to claim the wickets of Kasey Aldridge and Migael Pretorious, leaving the visitors sitting dangerously on 187-7. In the second innings, Surrey ran riot, with Clark bagging his three wickets in the space of 13 balls from his end. His partnership with Dan Worrall had the hosts on course for an innings victory – with Somerset 38-7 – before Pretorious’ 54* forced Surrey to bat again. 

8. Farhan Ahmed – Nottinghamshire (9) (1-19 & 4-54)

You can’t speak about Farhan Ahmed without prefacing that he is the younger brother of Rehan, but he may just be carving out a name for himself. While many sides have opted for an all-seam attack in April, the off-spinner has been trusted to feature in all of Nottinghamshire’s games so far this season, although rather predictably for a spinner bowling on early season English wickets, Ahmed has played a holding role so far.

His performance against Sussex played a crucial role in the setup of Nottinghamshire’s fourth innings chase of 148. Ahmed claimed season best figures four wickets for 54 runs on a pitch that opposition spinners James Coles and Jack Carson managed a combined 1-37. He claimed the early wickets of Daniel Hughes and Tom Clark before returning to dismiss captain John Simpson, extinguishing all hopes of the visitors posting a sizeable target.  

9. Jake Ball – Durham (13*) (5-47 & 2-27)

Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Brydon Crase, Brendan Doggett and Ben Stokes. Five seam bowlers that could very easily form an attack at Test match level, but in this instance, it is five seam bowlers that were unavailable for Durham’s trip to Worcestershire. The Chester-le-Street outfit scrambled to sign Jack Blatherwick and Jake Ball on loan from Lancashire and Somerset respectively, bolstering a makeshift attack in a must win clash.

Ball set the tone in the first hour of play, taking three wickets that reduced Worcestershire to 22-3, before a duo of lower order wickets would complete his fifer. In a low-scoring affair where just 487 runs were scored while 34 wickets fell, Ball would claim another two wickets in the second innings, marking a welcome return to a format in which he hadn’t featured since August.

10. Josh Tongue – Nottinghamshire (39*) (5-44 & 1-78)

For the second time in 2025, Josh Tongue has made this team of the week after starting his Nottinghamshire career in blistering form. The tall quick joined the Trent Bridge side in 2024, but a series of injuries prevented him from featuring in the East Midlands. After an opening day five-wicket haul against Durham, Tongue repeated the feat against Sussex.

I recommend anyone who loves fast-bowling to watch the LBW that saw Tom Alsop trudge back to the pavilion. Struck on the toes, Alsop could not deal with the late movement, causing him to fall over before the umpire could make his decision. Tongue finished the innings with three wickets in the same over, seeing off Sussex’s bowlers. It would come as no surprise to see the 27-year-old rested ahead of England’s one-off Test with Zimbabwe in three weeks’ time, also being played at Trent Bridge. 

11. Dominic Goodman – Gloucestershire (1 & 0) (5-54 & 4-33)

Dominic Goodman claimed a maiden First Class five-wicket haul in the first innings of Gloucestershire’s home defeat to Leicestershire. The new-ball bowler took the early wickets of the returning Rishi Patel and England prodigy Rehan Ahmed, before returning late in the innings to dismiss set batsmen Hill and Holland. He would also beat the defence of Logan van Beek, leaving the tail exposed.

With Leicestershire chasing a fourth innings target of 143, victory looked a certainty, but Goodman and Singh Dale tried in vain to record a thrilling home victory. Goodman claimed the wickets of the visitors top four, leaving them on 35-4 after just 10.1 overs. The foxes would trundle their way to a tricky target with two wickets in hand, but the efforts of the 24-year-old saw Gloucestershire come remarkably close to securing an unlikely first win of the season.

County Championship Team of the Week - Matchday 3

The third week of the Rothesay County Championship has been and gone, the final week in which all 18 counties were in action before the staggered break integrates itself into the season. There were wins for only Essex and Middlesex this week as rain swept across the country – forcing seven games into draws.

At the early stage of the season, Nottinghamshire and Sussex sit joint-top of the Division One table, while reigning champions Surrey sit seventh after three draws. In Division Two, Leicestershire and Kent are the early pace setters, occupying the promotion places, while title favourites Lancashire are languishing down in fifth after a lacklustre start to the season.

1. Alex Lees – Durham (172)

Ex-England opener Alex Lees made his first significant contribution to Durham’s 2025 season with a mammoth 172 against his home county, Yorkshire. The White Rose put a respectable 307 on the board in their first innings, but at the time Lees was finally dismissed, Durham sat pretty on 301-2. His partnership with Emilio Gay showcased exactly why the Chester-le-Street outfit had been tipped to threaten the top of the Division One table.

Captain Lees has become one of the most consistent run scorers in the country across recent years, making the successful move north at the end of 2018. The 32-year-old surpassed 11,000 runs in First Class cricket at the start of April – and combined with Durham’s stacked batting lineup – it is hard to see him slowing down anytime soon.

2. Tom Haines – Sussex (174 & 69*)

Tom Haines has had a remarkable start to the County Championship season, putting himself firmly in the conversation for an England Test debut this summer. The Sussex man has scored 141, 174 and 69 not out in his last three innings, taking his tally for the season to a championship best 449. 

His 174 against champions Surrey was the determining factor in Sussex’s first innings 435, with only three other batsmen scoring more than 15. Despite the flat wicket that Hove provided, Haines showed quality to survive for seven and a half hours against a bowling attack consisting of Gus Atkinson, Dan Worrall, Jordan Clark and Matthew Fisher. The opener would eventually be bowled by Atkinson, chopping a good length ball onto the stumps.

3. Emilio Gay – Durham (152)

While Lees was piling on the runs at Chester-le-Street, Gay was at the other end, recording his first century in a Durham shirt. The pair came together for a 279-run partnership, falling just short of 70 overs long, as the number three lasted a whopping 335 minutes at the crease. 

Gay, who celebrated his 25th birthday last week, scored 152 at a much-needed time. Having made the move from Northamptonshire over the winter, he scored three ducks in his first four innings of the season, falling far short of the high expectations the Italian international had set for himself. Despite his ventures into List A cricket with Italy, the ex-Northants man is another in a long line of potential England players in the coming years.

4. Dan Lawrence – Surrey (117) (1-87 & 0-36)

Dan Lawrence has started the season under par with bat in hand – as has most of Surrey’s lineup – with most of his success so far coming with the ball. The former England man has acted as Surrey’s main spinner, in response to the flat wickets both Essex and Sussex have served up so far. This week at Hove, Lawrence was able to make a statement in his traditional role, smashing 117 runs from just 111 balls, including six maximums along the way.

The number four was aided by another 80-plus score from opener Dom Sibley, as well as a century from England vice-captain Ollie Pope. A further 60 from Ben Foakes meant that Surrey sat on 420-5, just 15 runs behind their hosts first innings efforts. Lawrence’s ability and intent to move the game forwards on a flat wicket during a rain affected match gave supporters hope that a result could be squeezed out of the game.

5. Peter Handscomb – Leicestershire (142*)

Leicestershire’s exciting start to the 2025 campaign has been much of a team effort, with numerous players chipping in with result-altering contributions. Arguably a more important factor is Peter Handscomb’s calming influence as captain, with the 33-year-old returning to Grace Road to lead a fairly young side.

The ex-Australian international scored an unbeaten 142 at Old Trafford against a promising Lancashire attack, allowing the Foxes to declare with a 228-run lead at the innings break. His side had the Red Rose hanging by a thread on the evening of day three, as Logan van Beek and Ian Holland reduced them to 16-3, but the classic Manchester weather stole Leicestershire’s chances of coming away with a famous – and deserved – win. 

6. Saif Zaib – Northamptonshire (105) (0-2)

In another rain-affected match, Northamptonshire looked in pole position to leave Derbyshire with a maximum 24-point haul. The hosts were bowled out for 307 before Luke Procter’s 150 allowed Northants to dictate the game. 

So good was Procter’s work, all-rounder Saif Zaib arrived at the crease with his side four wickets down but already holding a two-run lead. Zaib went on to smash 105 from 90 deliveries, allowing his side to declare on 500-8 after he was eventually dismissed by Jack Morely. In the early rounds of the championship where draws will be common, Zaib’s blistering knock to secure extra bonus points could prove vital come the end of the season.

7. James Bracey (WK) – Gloucestershire (151* & 30*) (4 catches & 1 stumping)

James Bracey has had a remarkable return to form over recent years after the shambolic handling of his England call-up. Now batting as a regular in the middle order, Bracey went unbeaten across his two innings against Kent, with his first innings 151 undoubtedly the highlight. Combined with Gloucestershire debutant Cameron Green, the pair put on a 167-run partnership before the Australian retired hurt upon reaching triple figures.

With the gloves, Bracey was as trustworthy as ever, taking four catches from the 16 Kent wickets that fell in the match. The wicketkeeper would record his first stumping of the season when centurion Ben Compton came down the wicket to Graeme van Buuren, missing his defensive shot, allowing Bracey to collect easily and whip the bails off. 

8. Fergus O’Neill – Nottinghamshire (50) (5-19 & 2-34)

Australian seamer Fergus O’Neill is somewhat unfortunate to have not made this list yet this season. The Victoria man has taken 18 wickets at an average of 14.72 across Nottinghamshire’s first three games, propelling himself into the minds of Australian selectors ahead of this winter’s Ashes series. 

O’Neill – along with Brett Hutton – took five wickets in Warwickshire’s first innings, reducing the hosts to a measly 93 all out. The bowling figures of O’Neill were astonishing, racking up 14-6-19-5, while claiming the wickets of middle order trio Sam Hain, Dan Mousley and Ed Barnard. In Notts’ batting reply, O’Neill contributed with a half century from 53 balls, helping move the game further away from the opponents before rain intervened.

9. Tom Scriven – Leicestershire (16*) (5-46)

Leicestershire all-rounder Tom Scriven bagged his maiden First Class Five-wicket haul at Old Trafford, finishing Lancashire’s first innings with figures of 20-6-46-5. Scriven had taken the wickets of Marcus Harris and Matty Hurst, stopping the Lancashire fightback in its tracks and reducing them to 184-5.

After tea on day two, the 26-year-old would dismiss Luke Wells, George Balderson and Anderson Phillip within 11 balls, leaving tailenders Saqib Mahmood and John Turner at the crease. It was an innings long in the making for Scriven, who is quickly becoming a dependable championship all-rounder.

10. Nathan Gilchrist – Kent (1) (7-100 & 0-43)

Despite Kent conceding 472 to Gloucestershire, Nathan Gilchrist can walk away from the innings pleased with his individual performance. The 24-year-old has become a mainstay of the Kent seam attack over the last couple of seasons, with this week being one of his most prolific yet.

Gilchrist took seven wickets for just 100 runs, a career best bowling innings, taking the wickets of internationals Cameron Bancroft and the previously mentioned Green. The spell leaves Gilchrist just one short of reaching a century of First Class wickets, a feat that you feel is merely a step on his way to bigger things.

11. Jamie Porter – Essex (0 & 0*) (2-49 & 6-52)

The most controversial moment of the week came at Chelmsford as Jamie Porter wrapped up Essex’s 28-run victory over Worcestershire. Porter took a diving catch off his own bowling to dismiss the charging Ethan Brookes who was on 88 from 104 – 64 of which had come with number 11 Jacob Duffy at the crease. The batsman claimed that the ball was grounded, before Porter pointed at Brookes, causing commotion in the middle before the umpires resolved the situation and confirmed the dismissal.

Despite the scenes at the end of the game, it should not be forgotten how important Porter’s spell was. In the absence of partner in crime Sam Cook, Porter lead the attack and rattled through the Pears’ middle order, taking them from 162-5 to 192-8, especially decisive in a low-scoring affair.

County Championship Team of the Week - Matchday 2

The Rothesay County Championship action continued this week, with five of the nine games ending in a draw – without the intervention of the Great British weather. Game of the round unquestionably came at the Riverside as Warwickshire pulled off a spectacular one-wicket win over Durham. The hosts set Warwickshire a fourth innings target of 339, with seam bowler Ethan Bamber delivering the winning runs with a six back over bowler Ben Raine’s head.

In a week that saw runs flowing from the openers all the way down to number 11, as well as record-breaking victories and outstanding individual efforts, let’s dissect my Team of the Week from the second round of fixtures.

1. Ben McKinney – Durham (153 & 33)

Ben McKinney’s career-best 153 will be somewhat overshadowed by the dramatic finish at Chester-le-Street, but it’s a knock that shouldn’t be forgotten quickly. His century, along with Matthew Potts’ 70, laid the foundations for Durham’s 62-run lead at the innings break. His strong off-side game shone through early on day one, setting the tone by smashing Ethan Bamber through the covers before sending a straight drive back past the feet of Vishwa Fernando. 

The knock was McKinney’s third First Class century in 13 matches as a professional, boasting an average of 41.04 at an appealing strike rate of 75.08. After a baron end to the 2024 season, where he scored just 69 runs across six innings, the 20-year-old found form with the England Lions over the winter. With a century to his name against Australia A in Sydney – and an England setup that seemingly prioritises individual qualities over track records – it’s not unreasonable to suggest that we could see more of the opener in the coming months.

2. Dom Sibley – Surrey (100* & 106)

Surrey’s start to the County Championship season has been below the lofty expectations the side have set for themselves over the last three years. Digging deep to avoid defeat at Chelmsford last week, the Brown Caps were locked in an arm-wrestle with Hampshire at The Oval, with the visitors looking the more likely to snatch victory before being taken off for bad light. 

Dom Sibley’s twin centuries were arguably the most impressive individual performance of the week, going unbeaten in the first innings, guiding Surrey to a respectable total of 253. His subsequent 106 in the second innings allowed the hosts to declare, leaving Hampshire a total of 377. Both knocks were classic Sibley innings, digging deep to churn out runs from a tricky Oval wicket, both coming at a strike rate below 50.

3. Josh Bohannon – Lancashire (5 & 155)

Lancashire’s batting woes played a key role in their relegation from Division One in 2024, with inexperienced players struggling to make an impact. The introduction of Michael Jones and Marcus Harris to the top four, as well as Luke Wells moving down to six, have made the Red Rose look a much better outfit with the bat in hand.

Despite the new faces, it was Josh Bohannon that rescued a draw against Northamptonshire at Old Trafford. The number three returned to form to score 155 from 342 balls as the hosts were ordered to follow-on, trailing their visitors by 268 at the innings break. It was Bohannon’s first century since a mammoth 205 away to Kent in June 2024, only being dismissed this week when his attempted sweep deflected off short leg and rebounded back to the diving Lewis McManus. 

4. Tawanda Muyeye – Kent (29 & 125*)

24-year-old Tawanda Muyeye struggled when opening the batting in Division One last season. A spectacular 211 against Worcestershire at New Road was the highlight in a tough season for the Zimbabwe-born batsman, often falling for single figure scores at the top of the order. A year in Division Two combined with a move down the order to number four could be exactly what the fluent stroke maker needs.

In a 225-run stand with Ben Compton, Muyeye scored an unbeaten 125 off just 127 balls, hitting five maximums along the way. Kent reached Middlesex’s target of 316 with ease on a pitch that both sides failed to score more than 222 on in their respective first innings. With two impressive wins to their name, the Canterbury outfit are looking strong early in the season.

5. Kyle Verreynne – Nottinghamshire (128* & 3) (2 catches)

With both opening batsmen departing with just four runs on the board, you would be forgiven for thinking Nottinghamshire could have been bowled out on day one at home to Essex, but Kyle Verreynne’s 128 not out steered Notts away from trouble at Trent Bridge. The South Africa international was the only home player to score 50 or above in the first innings, providing a base while those around him got starts but failed to cash in.

The pitch seemed to flatten out with scores increasing throughout the game, as the sides shook hands for a draw while Nottinghamshire sat on 106-1. There were notable scores for Haseeb Hameed, Paul Walter and Jordan Cox – as well as a first Notts ton for Jack Haynes – but Verreynne’s day one performance was the difference between a loss and a draw for the East Midlands outfit. 

6. John Simpson (WK) – Sussex (47 & 110*) (6 catches)

John Simpson’s reputation as one of the most dependable wicketkeepers in the country was again enhanced with his first innings performance against Somerset. The 36-year-old took five catches in the first innings of the match, before adding 157 runs across his two attempts with the bat.

The wicketkeeper came to the crease in the third innings while his Sussex side were 300-4, already leading their opponents by 393. Captain Simpson put his foot to the floor, following in the footsteps of opener Tom Haines by notching a century, although Simpson’s came at a much quicker strike rate of 94. The Cider Men replied with 334 on day four, but still fell 260 runs short of a substantial target, giving Sussex their first top-flight win in a decade.

7. Ed Barnard – Warwickshire (12 & 101) (0-42 & 1-47)

All-rounder Ed Barnard strolled to the crease on day four with Warwickshire sitting dangerously on 84-4, still 255 shy of Durham’s target with over 60 overs left of the day’s play. The departure of Hamza Shaikh moments later saw the visitors slip to 90-5, before a resurgent partnership with wicketkeeper Kai Smith salvaged the match for the Birmingham-based side. 

Barnard notched his eighth career century in the longest format of the game, grabbing any chance of victory from the jaws of defeat. Just after reaching three-figures, Brendan Doggett found his outside edge, bringing the game back into the balance, leaving Warwickshire needing 54 runs with three wickets in hand.  

8. Michael Booth – Warwickshire (58* & 40) (3-72 & 4-66)

Michael Booth had enjoyed a 48-run stand with Barnard before being left to work with the tail. The South African had already scored an unbeaten 58 in the first innings, helping the visitors avoid the follow-on, while his second innings 40 moved the Bears just 15 runs away from their target, before England seamer Potts castled the stumps. Booth had only scored 50 First Class runs before his 98 in the match this week.

With the ball, Booth picked up the middle-order trio of Emilio Gay, David Bedingham and Ollie Robinson on day one, striking just as the hosts looked like they could post a score north of 400. In the second innings, Booth would collect the wickets of Gay and Robinson again, as well as Alex Lees and Colin Ackermann, quickly seeing Durham collapse from 46-0 to 64-4.

9. Calvin Harrison – Northamptonshire (56) (4-34 & 7-119)

Northamptonshire came close to recording a spectacular away win at Old Trafford before Bohannon’s second innings fightback. If the Steelbacks pulled off the win, 26-year-old leg spinner – and Northamptonshire debutant – Calvin Harrison would have taken the plaudits, scoring a career-high 56 with the bat and taking 11 wickets with the ball.

Harrison took his second First Class five-wicket haul at Old Trafford, contributing to a maiden 10-wicket haul in the match. He took seven of Northamptonshire’s nine wickets across the third innings, finishing with staggering figures of 57-16-119-7. Harrison joined from Nottinghamshire on an initial two-game loan deal and will be available for selection against Derbyshire next week, with this performance putting him in the shop window upon his return to Trent Bridge.

10. Ben Coad – Yorkshire (31) (4-39 & 1-30)

Yorkshire recorded their first win since promotion back to the top level, defeating Worcestershire by an extraordinary 504 runs, the biggest winning margin in the 135-year history of the County Championship. There were runs across the board – most notably with nightwatchman Dom Bess scoring a century – but it was a flurry of wickets on day two that sent the White Rose on their way to a historic win.

The Pears had just lost the opening wicket of Gareth Roderick but still looked settled on 101-1 before Ben Coad and Jordan Thompson rattled through the top order, leaving them faltering on 113-6. Two of Coad’s wickets included arguably Worcestershire’s best batsman, Jake Libby, as well as last week’s unbeaten hero, Matthew Waite. By quickly dispatching the middle order, Coad and co were able to charge in at the tail after just 43 overs, while the bowlers were still recovering from 100+ overs in the field. 

11. Sean Hunt – Sussex (33) (5-48 & 4-28)

Sean Hunt did not play Sussex’s first game of the season at Edgbaston, but had a more than welcome return at Hove this week. The left-arm seamer claimed the final five wickets of the Somerset first innings, notching his maiden First Class five-wicket haul, limiting the visitors to a score of 201.

His hot streak continued in the second innings, dismissing four of Somerset’s top five, leaving them 17-2 and 80-4 at respective points in the innings. Making his first red-ball appearance since taking no wickets for 53 runs against Yorkshire last season, Hunt will be hoping that this is the start of a prolonged run in an exciting Sussex attack, despite missing day four after leaving the field injured.

County Championship Team of the Week - Matchday 1

After two weeks of clear skies and warm sunshine across England, the cricketing summer got underway without any rain delays across all nine Rothesay County Championship games. In contrast to the 2024 opening weekend, there were only four draws across the two divisions this week, with games at Taunton and Lords finishing in nail-biting circumstances.

With individual records tumbling, batsmen defying time to salvage a draw and players putting their name into the conversation for England’s Test side, lets have a look at the first Team of the Week of the 2025 summer.

1. Adam Lyth – Yorkshire (13 & 106)

Yorkshire’s return to Division One got off to a less than ideal start, being rolled for 121 inside 35 overs by Hampshire – after winning the toss and electing to bat. Going into the second innings, the White Rose trailed their hosts by 128, a task made harder after two Brad Wheal wickets in consecutive deliveries had them faltering at 4-2 after 1.3 overs.

Adam Lyth had to tame his attacking instincts, instead playing a classic opener’s knock to score 106 from 275 balls. The former England man weathered the Hampshire storm in a way of which his teammates could not follow. Lyth was the last man to fall in an innings that fell one delivery short of the 100 over mark, steering the ship with seven of Yorkshire’s men falling for single figure scores. Despite heading back to Leeds with a five-wicket loss on the board, Lyth’s knock set the hosts a tricky target of 147 in a low-scoring affair.

2. Caleb Jewell – Derbyshire (61 & 51*)

Shortly after signing a one-year contract extension at the Incora County Ground, Derbyshire’s Australian head coach Mickey Arthur made the swoop to sign fellow Aussie, Caleb Jewell. The Tasmanian opener was mooted as a potential David Warner replacement over the winter, but it always felt like he was never seriously in the conversation.

If the 27-year-old is to make a claim to earn his Baggy Green, his Derbyshire debut was certainly an impressive audition. Jewell recorded a duo of half centuries at the top of the order – coming off 37 and 48 balls respectively – finishing on 51 not out in the second innings to steer the East Midlands outfit home for a nine-wicket win.

3. Max Holden – Middlesex (69 & 184)

Max Holden’s opening day 69 – alongside Sam Robson’s 70 – held together a Middlesex innings that failed to get going elsewhere. A deficit of 99 awaited Holden and his men, before three wickets from Lancashire veteran Tom Bailey had Middlesex sat perilously at 7-3. 

A 106-run partnership with all-rounder Ryan Higgins followed by a 163-run stand with new signing Ben Geddes steadied an innings that looked in grave danger of collapsing in dramatic fashion. Batting at three, Holden was finally dismissed by First Class debutant Ollie Sutton for 184, setting up a target of 308, making the hosts unlikely favourites. Lancashire’s 93-run opening partnership quickly dissipated as they fell to 119-4, eventually blocking out for a draw – while trailing by 45 – with two wickets in hand. 

4. Tom Banton – Somerset (371)

The story of the week came from Taunton as Tom Banton broke Justin Langer’s 19-year-old record to become Somerset’s highest individual run scorer in an innings. The England man notched up an astonishing 371 from 403 balls, including 58 boundaries, recording his fourth First Class century in style.

After dismissing Worcestershire for a below-par 154, Somerset’s top order faltered to 39-3, with Banton arriving at the crease late on day one with the game in a crucial phase. Alongside James Rew – who contributed 152 himself – Banton put a sword to the throat of the Worcestershire bowlers, who were eventually put out of their misery when Banton was caught behind off the bowling of Tom Hinley. Somerset declared immediately as Banton departed the field, giving their bowlers just over two days to bowl at the visitors.

5. Brett D’Oliveira – Worcestershire (5 & 121) (1-114)

In a stark contrast to the aforementioned innings, Brett D’Oliveira put in a captain’s display to soak up 340 deliveries in Worcestershire’s 200 over block-a-thon. The Three Pears skipper scored 121 along the way, but as shown with his subdued celebrations, batting out time was the order of the day.

D’Oliveira was eventually sent on his way after padding away Archie Vaughan’s right-arm off-break, before the umpire raised his finger. Perhaps the use of the word ‘adjudged’ on Somerset’s official X account best described a controversial dismissal that got social media talking. Ultimately, the decision did not decide the match due to the batting efforts of the Worcestershire lower order salvaging a draw from a game that looked dead and buried after 100 overs. 

6. John Simpson (WK) – Sussex (181* & 22) (1 catch)

In the only game that had little to no drama on day four, Sussex marked their long-awaited return to Division One with a competitive performance against Warwickshire. Sussex piled on the runs in their first innings, batting halfway into day two before their last wicket fell. In similar fashion to their 2024 Division Two title-winning campaign, it was captain John Simpson who led the way with the bat. The experienced wicketkeeper amassed an unbeaten 181, including a 200-run partnership with fellow south coast centurion, Tom Clark.  

On a placid Edgbaston wicket, bowlers from both sides enjoyed little success in finding the outside edge, with Simpson finishing the game with just the single catch behind the stumps, claiming the wicket of Rob Yates off the bowling of a classic Ollie Robinson delivery.

7. Luis Reece – Derbyshire (3) (6-52 & 4-45)

Derbyshire all-rounder Luis Reece took career best match figures of 10-97 as his side recorded victory over Gloucestershire in the afternoon session of day three. Reece took the new ball on day one, with his opening spell returning figures of 7-5-17-2, dismissing Gloucestershire openers Chris Dent and Ben Charlesworth. Reece came back for his third spell of the day in the evening session, racking up figures of 6.4-1-14-4 to blow away the lower order.

Reece would enjoy another economical performance second time out, finishing with second innings figures of 19.1-5-45-4. After getting the wicket of centurion Charlesworth for the second time in the match, Reece would return to take the wickets of Matt Taylor and Ajeet Singh Dale to leave Derbyshire’s batsmen with a double-digit fourth innings target.

8. Kasey Aldridge – Somerset (13) (5-36 & 2-64)

Before Banton’s record-breaking day at Taunton, all-rounder Kasey Aldridge looked a certainty to claim the Man of the Match award. Worcestershire were looking comfortable on 102-1, with Gareth Roderick and Kashif Ali at the crease, before Aldridge’s magic spell changed the game. The right-arm seamer bowled figures of 8-2-36-5 in his opening spell, with all five wickets coming in the space of 27 balls, reducing the visitors from 102-1 to 130-6. 

Aldridge’s work with the ball was done, bowling just the one – yet elongated – spell in the first innings. He would contribute 13 with the bat, coming in directly after Banton and Rew’s 371-run partnership, before taking two wickets for 64 runs in the second innings.

9. Lyndon James – Nottinghamshire (125) (0-64 & 0-46)

Selecting a bowler who took no wickets in a Team of the Week would normally be a rogue selection – verging on insanity for the sake of attention. In Lyndon James’ sake, his efforts with the bat overshadowed his bowling performance.

The 26-year-old came to the crease at Nottinghamshire sat on 319-6, still trailing Durham’s first innings effort by 59 runs. Aided by half centuries from Matthew Montgomery and Josh Tongue, James was able to score 125, taking the hosts to a mammoth total of 579, a 201-run lead. With the ball in hand, James failed to take a wicket, although did dislodge Colin Ackermann’s bail with what can only be described as a jaffa, but the bail fell back into place and Durham’s number four lived to fight another day.

10. Keith Dudgeon – Kent (26 &14) (1-33 & 7-36)

Kent’s South African seamer Keith Dudgeon had a debut to remember as the Canterbury outfit got their Division Two campaign underway with a home win against Northamptonshire. Dudgeon took a single wicket in the first innings, conceding a modest 33 runs, and contributed 40 runs with the bat across two innings – in a game where three innings were concluded for below 200.

It was Northamptonshire’s second innings where Dudgeon earned his money, finishing with standout figures of 10.4-0-36-7 as the visitors were rolled for 114. The South African’s presence in the Kent seam attack could play a crucial role in their promotion challenge this season, with Dudgeon expected to take the new ball alongside Nathan Gilchrist while youngster Jas Singh waits in the wings.

11. Josh Tongue – Nottinghamshire (55) (2-92 & 5-66)

On the day that Harry Brook was unveiled as England’s new White Ball captain, a member of the 2023 Ashes squad staked his claim to be a part of the new look England setup – as well as Ben Stokes’ Test side. Josh Tongue’s day four assault on the Durham middle-order was exactly what fast bowlers dream about. With the first ball of the 80th over, Graham Clark’s off-stump was sent flying, before George Drissell was trapped on the pads with the sixth ball, taking Durham from 268-5 with two set batsmen, to 270-7 with the tail exposed.

Tongue returned in the 82nd over – and it was rinse and repeat. Ben Raine was clean bowled with ball one, while Ackermann – on 124 at the time – was clean bowled with ball six. Fergus O’Neill quickly took the wicket of Matthew Potts to call time on the Durham innings for 289, the final five wickets falling for 21 runs, setting up a 89-run chase which the hosts gracefully accepted.