Durham vs Northamptonshire report

Northamptonshire managed to set Durham a target of 296 to chase at Banks Homes Riverside on the final day after being bowled out for 250 in the morning session.

The beginning of Durham’s chase was tightly contested with the fate of the game in the balance, but a successful spell with the ball for Northamptonshire in the afternoon handed the visitors control with the hosts reeling at 107 for four.

However, Bedingham and half-centurion Colin Ackermann steadied the ship and the former took the game to the visitors after tea, reaching three figures for the 29th time in First Class cricket.

The pair, whose partnership was worth 189, then saw Durham to the target of 296 with 16 balls to spare.

The result sees Durham extend their lead at the top of Division Two, while Northamptonshire drop to third due to results elsewhere.

A fluent 84 from Ollie Robinson and three more wickets for the in-form Matthew Potts led a Durham fightback on the third day of their enthralling Rothesay County Championship clash with promotion rivals Northamptonshire.

The visitors looked to be heading for a big first innings lead when they had Durham on the ropes at 347 for nine in the morning session, but a vital last wicket stand worth 58 between Robinson and Callum Parkinson helped Durham put 405 on the board, a first innings deficit of 45.

Northamptonshire lost two quick wickets at the hands of Potts, but a maiden First Class half-century for injury substitute Gus Miller set his side a platform to put a challenging target on the board.

Australian Nathan McSweeney then passed fifty for the fifth time this season after tea, but wicket-taking spells from Potts and Ben Raine boosted the hosts’ chances of victory.

The visitors then adopted a rearguard action and closed on 200 for six, leading by 245, teeing up a potentially thrilling final day.

Four wickets from Ben Sanderson gave Northamptonshire the upper hand in their Rothesay County Championship fixture with Durham despite a return to form for Ben Stokes, who made 95 with the bat.

Matthew Potts mopped up the Northamptonshire tail as they were bowled out for 450 in the morning session, adding 62 to their overnight total.

Durham’s reply got off to a poor start though, as they lost three cheap wickets at the hands of Sanderson and Harry Conway to leave them on the ropes at 30 for three.

Stokes then came to the crease at number five and he brought some much-needed impetus to his side’s first innings along with Will Rhodes in a fourth wicket stand worth 153.

The pair both fell at the hands of Conway after tea to leave Durham in a spot of bother and Sanderson backed that up with a late double strike, as the hosts closed on 302 for seven, 148 runs behind.

Ricardo Vasconcelos stole the headlines from Ben Stokes as the opener hit a magnificent unbeaten century on the opening day of a crucial Rothesay County Championship clash between Division Two pace-setters Durham and Northamptonshire.

The day belonged to second-placed Northamptonshire, despite table toppers Durham having England Test captain Stokes in their ranks, after he was omitted from the England squad following his involvement in a nightclub incident with teammate Gus Atkinson.

Vasconcelos, who was dropped by Ben McKinney off the bowling of Stokes early in his innings, was positive and fluent in making a third century of the season. While his skipper Luke Procter chipped in with 58 in an opening stand worth 191.

A double-wicket over from Ben Raine was the catalyst for a Durham fightback as they took three quick wickets. However, Vasconcelos found a new partner in the form of Saif Zaib, who made 61, and the visitors set a platform for an imposing first innings total, closing on 388 for six.