Potential England wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson hit unbeaten 146 for Durham in County Championship; England hopefuls Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Shoaib Bashir also in action; England vs West Indies at Lord’s (July 10-14), Trent Bridge (July 18-22), Edgbaston (July 26-30) live on Sky Sports
Ollie Robinson scored a day-one century as Durham piled on the runs at Vitality County Championship title rivals Essex, as he continues to be touted as a potential England wicketkeeper.
Robinson took the bowlers on with gusto as he struck four sixes and 16 fours in his unbeaten 146 to help Durham rack up 445-4.
Elsewhere, it was normal service resumed for leaders and champions Surrey against Worcestershire as they racked up 340-5.
Fifties from Dom Sibley (76) and another man touted as a potential England wicketkeeper in Jamie Smith (86) laid the foundations before Dan Lawrence and Ben Foakes increased the tempo during the final session in a fifth-wicket stand of 131 in 35 overs.
Foakes fell for 52 just before the close – to a fourth catch for Adam Hose – but Lawrence remained undefeated on 91.
It was another England hopeful, spinner Shoaib Bashir on loan at Worcestershire from Somerset, who took Sibley’s wicket.
Chris Woakes played his first red-ball cricket in 10 months as Warwickshire trail Hampshire , while fast bowler Olly Stone’s unbeaten 74 led a Nottinghamshire recovery from 190-7 to 326-8 against Somerset at Trent Bridge.
Stone shared in an eighth-wicket stand of 112 with Calvin Harrison to give the day a different complexion after Joe Clarke (51) and Jack Haynes (55) had guided the hosts to 179-3.
Somerset seamer Kasey Aldridge was the main driver of a mid-innings collapse that saw four wickets fall for 11 runs, finishing with 4-90, while South African seamer Migael Pretorius took 3-73.
Lancashire finished on 38-1 at Canterbury, trailing fellow Division One strugglers Kent by 206 runs.
George Balderson and Nathan Lyon took three wickets apiece as Kent were bowled out for 244 before the vistors lost captain Keaton Jennings for a duck in reply.
England’s Test summer begins with three-match series vs West Indies at Lord’s (July 10-14), Trent Bridge (July 18-22), Edgbaston (July 26-30); three more Tests vs Sri Lanka in August/September; watch England throughout summer live on Sky
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