County Championship Division One roundup: Essex and Surrey on top

The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day two of round four of the Vitality County Championship in 2024

Chester-le-Street (day two of four): Durham 358, Essex 314-3 - Essex trail by 44 runs with seven first-innings wickets in hand

A century by Feroze Khushi and Nick Browne's unbeaten 94 enabled Essex to take control of their Vitality County Championship match against Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside.

Replying to the home side's 358, the Division One leaders were 314 for 3 at the close, leaving their side just 44 runs in arrears and perhaps laying the foundations for Essex's third victory in four matches this season.

Durham's batters will have something to say about that, of course, on top of which this Riverside pitch is still good for batting and the weather forecast for Sunday is grim. But nothing should detract from the quality of Khushi's chanceless century, the second of his career and his first since he reached three figures at Canterbury in 2022.

And even when the 24-year-old had been dismissed by Callum Parkinson for 107, Browne shared an unbroken stand of 54 with Jordan Cox to leave his side well placed to take a first-innings lead.

^{Surrey's Jordan Clark [Ben Hoskins/Getty Images]}

The Oval (day two of four): Hampshire 151 & 31-2, Surrey 359 - Hampshire trail by 177 with eight second-innings wickets in hand

Hundreds in contrasting styles by skipper Rory Burns and Jordan Clark put champions Surrey in control against Hampshire at the Kia Oval.

Burns' seven-hour 113 – his 25th first-class century but first since July 2022 – laid strong foundations and Clark built on them with a run-a-ball unbeaten 106 as Surrey took a first-innings lead of 208 when they were bowled out for 359 on the stroke of tea.

Hampshire lost openers Ali Orr and Fletcha Middleton in successive overs before bad light and rain took 20 overs off the day's allocation. Hampshire will resume on 31 for 2, trailing by 177.

Related - Nick Howson: Contrasting centuries from Rory Burns and Jordan Clark leave Hampshire in the mire

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Edgbaston (day two of four): Nottinghamshire 400, Warwickshire 71-3 - Warwickshire trail by 329 runs with seven first-innings wickets in hand

Ben Duckett's dazzling double century followed by high-class seam bowling put Nottinghamshire in control against Warwickshire on a rain-affected second day of their County Championship match at Edgbaston.

Duckett's chanceless 218 (264 balls, 25 fours, one six) lifted Nottinghamshire to 400 all out against an attack skilfully led by Olly Hannon-Dalby (5 for 78).

Among interruptions for rain and bad light, the visiting seamers then reduced Warwickshire to 26 for 3. Ed Barnard (18 not out) and Dan Mousley (26 not out) dug in to start a recovery and take their side to 71 for 3 before the last session was lost to the weather.

^{Ben Duckett posted 218 against Warwickshire [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

Kidderminster (day two of four): Somerset 309-9d, Worcestershire 107-1 - Worcestershire trail by 202 runs with nine first-innings wickets in hand

Jake Libby continued his impressive start to the season for Worcestershire on a rain-shortened second day of the County Championship Division One fixture with Somerset at Kidderminster.

Only 29 overs were possible – all during the afternoon session – but it was enough for Libby to move past the fifty mark for the fourth time in six innings this summer, including a century in the opening game against Warwickshire.

He has been tagged as Worcestershire's 'Mr Reliable' by head coach Alan Richardson and has been a prolific performer since moving from Nottinghamshire to New Road four years ago.

Libby enjoyed his most successful summer in 2023 with 1,153 runs at an average of 57.65 and he has continued in the same vein after helping Worcestershire to promotion.

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Related Topics

• Contrasting centuries from Rory Burns and Jordan Clark leave Hampshire in the mire
• County Championship Division One roundup: Ben Duckett and Colin Ackermann hit crucial hundreds