A familiar figure took the field at Chester-le-Street. Tall, neat, trousers nipping at his ankles, right arm wrapped with a sleeve. Red-ball cricket had been waiting for Jofra Archer for 1,501 days but the Sussex captain, John Simpson, was playing by his own timetable. He threw the new ball to Ollie Robinson – another bowler with an England shadow stuck to his boot – and Gurinder Sandhu. It was half an hour before Archer was called up from long leg to take on Durham.
For those whose memories of Archer are forever Lord’s 2019, Smith down on the burning deck, his first spell back was nothing more than solid. A couple of maidens, a handful of bouncers: 4-2-11-0. His second spell, after lunch, once he had checked that everything was in full working order, was spicier. Will Rhodes survived a toe-crusher, before Emilio Gay’s luck ran out and he was lbw to a rapid rasper low on the pad. Colin Ackerman was greeted with a snorter and there were a couple of those missiles that hone in on the body. One further spell made it 14 overs and one wicket for the day, and a nod of approval from Headingley.
On the other side of the country, Jimmy Anderson grabbed a couple of early wickets at Blackpool where the wind ran up the trouser leg and scampered out of the collar. Ben Compton’s 135 for Kent received a standing ovation before Lancashire’s openers accumulated neatly, until Keaton Jennings was out just before stumps.
Tilak Varma made an unbeaten 98 to ease Hampshire to near parity as Essex toiled. Earlier Kyle Abbott pocketed his third five-fer of the season. Yorkshire had a better day with bat than ball, biffed about by Nottinghamshire’s Ishan Kishan, Liam Patterson-White and Dillon Pennington. Mohammad Abbas then removed Adam Lyth with his first ball, but an unbeaten 86 from Finlay Bean steadied things.
Middlesex’s Zafar Gohar spun out four of Northamptonshire’s top five, but Saif Zaib danced to an unbeaten 83 at Wantage Road, and there were more fireworks from Leicestershire as Rehan Ahmed and Sol Budinger sprayed attacking centuries against Glamorgan.
Centuries from Harry Came and Wayne Madsen put Derbyshire in a happy position against Gloucestershire. Tom Lammonby’s 133 was his highest first-class score, though Somerset then lost seven for 91. Worcestershire worked hard to dismiss Surrey, but Matt Fisher and Nathan Smith ruined their top order.
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham 249-5 v Sussex 361
Chelmsford: Essex 296 v Hants 293-4
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 487 v Yorkshire 154-3
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 158-1 v Somerset 498
New Road: Worcestershire 214 and 69-4 v Surrey 291
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 187 and 62-1 v Derbyshire 398
Blackpool: Lancashire 120-1 v Kent 374
Grace Road: Leicestershire 389-3 v Glamorgan 353
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 308-5 v Middlesex 413
As they tie the covers down at Blackpool, time to say goodnight. Largely a day of toil for the bowlers around the country, but Surrey still managed to riff through Worcestershire’s top four in evening sun. Thanks for all your messages, have a lovely evening.
Updated
Another fifty for Rehan Ahmed, who is having a Championship season to remember – six fours and a six – Leics 288 for two.
Surrey are all out for 291 – a lead of just 77, very well bowled Worcestershire. Five for Allison Ben, three for Tom Taylor.
Time now for me to write up for the paper, do keep chatting BTL.
Durham have survived Jofra’s third spell – figures of 14-6-28-1. Now 199-4, Clark 22 not out with a twinkle, Ackermann a more sedate 40.
At New Road, dangerous Dan Lawrence, who clonked Lancs all over the shop in Blackpool a couple of years ago, has been removed by Tom Taylor. Surrey 266-7, a lead of 52 over Worcs.
Somerset were all out for 498 earlier this afternoon, Warwicks are 58-1 in reply. Jacob Bethell (2-59) twiddles his thumbs in the dressing room, next man but one in.
Bean (49) and Wharton are hauling Yorkshire out of a hole AT 0-1, now 85-1.
Lancs have started their first innings here at Blackpool, Kashif sprinting in despite the buffeting. Due north-east, Archer has the ball again, now in the third over of his third spell.
Updated
Tea-time ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham 151-3 v Sussex 361
Chelmsford: Essex 296 v Hants 184-4
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 487 v Yorkshire 65-1
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 48-1 v Somerset 498
New Road: Worcestershire 214 v Surrey 246-6
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 187 v Derbyshire 370-9
Blackpool: Lancashire v Kent 374
Grace Road: Leicestershire 232-2 v Glamorgan 353
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 172-4 v Middlesex 413
Key event
After some brutal afternoon bat swinging from Wes Agar, he is finally caught for 42. Kent all out 374 and they take tea. Three wickets for Balderson, two for Anderson and Green. A little girl in black patent shoes does a cartwheel in front of our tent.
Let’s be blown around the grounds as tea approaches. A second wicket for ul-Hassan at Grace Road, Patel follows Budinger back to the pavilion, Leics 201-2. At Wantage Road, Derbyshire have a 155-run lead, centuries from Madsen and Came but Gloucs have plugged away with the ball. Three wickets to Australian Todd Murphy. Parkinson and Agar press on here at Blackpool, Kent 352-8 – no, Parky has just been caught. And Northants, 162-4, have lost two to Zafar Gohar. They need Tim Robinson (visions of a black bubble perm) and Saif Zaib to press on towards Middlesex’s 413.
A maiden first-class century from Sol Budinger!
Into the nineties, and out again, with two sixes! Just 92 balls. He’s out now, caught by Northeast for 118 but Leicestershire are cruising on 188-1, Patel unbeaten on 64. Rehan Ahmed should have fun here.
Updated
Penalties and Pant
Penalty runs at New Road, naughty Mitchell Santner didn’t behave very well when given out – pointing his bat at the umpire and slamming it into the ground (bat not umpire). Worcestershire’s first innings total now 214.
and a second hundred for the outrageous Rishabh Pant at Headingley – bravo!
Updated
Some surprising news from New Road, where Surrey have lost three for two and are now six down, trailing Worcestershire by 12. Ben Allison 4-35, a good couple of days for the brothers.
Unfold myself from Jofra corner in time to see Stewart give Bohannon his third catch of the innings from a top edge off Stanley. Kent have meandered to a small collapse, losing Finch (52), Compton (135) and Stewart in six overs and for ten runs. Kent 324-8.
Rhodes pulls away from brutish snorter at the head. Archer polishes off the over, and presumably the spell, with another short, though less brutal ball. Another maiden, his fourth. Durham 90-2.
Ackermann is greeted with a snorter, that he jerks away from, but picks up four later in the over with a squeeze to third man. Probably time for one more over in this spell.
A wicket for Jofra!
His first for four years! Gay’s luck runs out, lbw to a rapid rasper low on the pad. Durham 81-2.
“My parents are at CLS today,” writes Adrian Armstrong, “and my dad reports that Jofra has been ‘bowling well on a flat wicket’. But ‘No speed guns here unless Sussex are testing him’. Farbrace and co., do you have anything you can share with the rest of us?” I’d love/hate to think that Farbrace reads this blog…but please thank your dad for his intel!
A big two armed lbw appeal, not given.Another maiden, Jofra has now bowled seven overs for 15.
Rhodes sways out of the way of a bouncer, a few guided missiles follow of the sort that hone in on the body. He’s warming up here.
At Trent Bridge, Notts are all out at last, for 487. While Surrey are in touching distance of Worcestershire, but they’ve lost Sam Curran (batting at four). Lawrence joins Sibley (69 not out).
Jof-watch
Archer is very much in the Jimmy Anderson mould, neat as a new pin. Gay again finds himself at the wrong end, but whistles away after a quick single. Will Rhodes survives tasty toe-crusher. A double change as Carson comes on at the other end.
Jofra hands the umpire his cap at Chester le Street.
Dillon Pennington’s career-best knock is over, acught and bowled by Dan Moriarty for a run-a-ball 61, Notts 475-9; while at Edgbaston Tom Banton perishes going for a huge woof down the ground – a wicket for that man Jacob Bethell. Somerset 458-6. No make that, 460-8 as Yates gets Vaughan and Pretorius in the next over.
Everyone is now out, post lunch. The first wicket of the session goes to Simon Harmer, who has snaffled Fletcha Middleton for 61, Hants 97-3 following Essex’s 296. And a huge shout from the long limbed figure of Green here at Blackpool – but to no avail.
Lots of activity on the outfield at lunchtime – young men sprinting to bowl, while two stewards in high vis guard the pitch. It’s busy in the club house too, pints clutched close to the chest, a protective arm against the wind. They took a late lunch here to make up time from yesterday, elsewhere things are already underway.
After squinting at the stream, time for a brisk stroll in the sea air.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham 50-0 v Sussex 361
Chelmsford: Essex 296 v Hants 89-2
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 453-8 v Yorkshire
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset 446-5
New Road: Worcestershire 209 v Surrey 147-1
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 187 v Derbyshire 242-2
Blackpool: Lancashire v Kent 279-5
Grace Road: Leicestershire 36-0 v Glamorgan 353
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 71-1 v Middlesex 413
The clouds have cleared at CLS and it now looks set fair for batting. Just over ten minutes till lunch, and Robinson takes the ball again, marking the end of Archer’s first spell: 4- 2- 11-0. Everything seemed in good working order, easing himself into business. In the words of Ali : “There’s too much emphasis on his pace, he tends to operate in the 80s unless the mood takes him.”
Lees takes on Jack Carson. Four and six – huge and straight. Now Archer again, whites setting sail in the breeze, this time around the wicket to Gay – and relief in the form of a back foot punch for four, and another whipped off the boots. Lees survives his last ball and that’s nine off Jofra’s third over.
A bit of ballast for Durham, as Lees picks up the first four of the innings, but now they face Jofra again. Emilio Gay, whose summer has been famine, and feast, gets the honour again. He ducks a short ball, shoulders arms at another. Archer seems to be picking up speed but I can’t see a speed gun – is anyone at CLS? And that’s a second consecutive maiden.
…and a maiden to top things off.
After 1501 days, Jofra time!
Flashing a bit of ankle, wearing a sleeve on his right arm, he zips in. A huge appeal first ball – but reality beats romance, nothing doing. Emilio Gay concentrates, hard, three slips wait.
All this waiting calls for a Double Decker from the Blackpool picnic bag. At Edgbaston, Tom Lammonby has eased to a century and he and Tom Abell have put on 104 and counting. Somerset flexing their rarely-seen batting tranquility muscle: 380-3.
John Simpson is toying with us. At the other end at Chester Le Street, Gurinder Sandhu. Jofra Archer kicks his heels at long leg.
[Meanwhile, at Blackpool, Ben Compton goes to his century-warm applause round the ground as he raises his bat to all corner in a window of bright sunlight.]
Jofra time!
The stream cameras are showing surround-sound clouds and the commentators report rising damp. Just what Durham’s were dreaming on. Here come the players and the first over goes to…. Ollie Robinson.
Sussex all out - Coles 148 not out
A standing ovation for Coles, his first century away from Hove. The last two wickets put on 104 runs, and now we wait for Jofra.
Good morning Mike Daniels! “Looking forward to seeing Ben Kella “which” way bowling with both arms today.” Yes! –There is an interview with him in one of the cricket magazines (apologies, I can’t remember which) talking about how he came to do it – such a great skill to have up your sleeve. It also said he sometimes forgets to tell the umpire which arm he’s bowling with.
At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire’s new signing Ishan Kishan, dropped at midwicket on 44, eases his way to fifty. Two in two for the irrepressible Ben Green at Grace Road – actually make that three wickets in his pocket this morning as Glamorgan slip to 317-8, Ingram gone for 56.
Jofra Watch – Sussex are still batting. Stat of yesterday – Rory Burns kept wicket for Surrey in the Championship for the first time in ten years.
And there’s another wicket for Jimmy, a carbon copy of the first, Evison for a duck. Kent suddenly 219-5 and a little more precarious.
A busy scene at Blackpool, the roller chugging, the players warming up in shades and ….sorry about the delay to the rest of this entry, there was a long queue at the Froth Me Silly coffee van. Long enough to miss Jimmy get a wicket with his first ball, Leaning driving a straight one to short midwicket.
Updated
Sunday's round-up
With the longest day behind us, the County Championship slipped into its summer sandals once more. Those waiting for Jofra Archer to bowl in his first red-ball match for four years, or Jacob Bethell to audition for the next England batting slot, had to bide their time. But there was plenty more to see.
At Blackpool, the Division Two wooden spoonists gathered. Jimmy Anderson was presented with champagne before play to celebrate his 300th first-class match – but he went wicketless in his first day as interim Lancashire captain, as Kent motored along thanks to an unbeaten 86 from Ben Compton and an easy‑on‑the‑eye half‑century from Tawanda Muyeye. Damp squalls washed out much of the evening session.
At Bristol, the players lined up for a minute’s silence in memory of Gloucestershire’s president, the former fast bowler David Lawrence, who died just a year after announcing his motor neurone disease. Derbyshire had the best of the day as the left-arm spinner Jack Morley winkled through Gloucestershire, finishing with six for 55. Derbyshire then raced to 116 for two.
Jersey’s young batter Asa Tribe hit a maiden first-class century to help Glamorgan to reach a healthy 305 for five against the early‑season table-toppers Leicestershire. Logan van Beek pondered the Kookaburra ball: “In Australia and New Zealand [it] is a good ball – here it feels very different, because the wickets are a touch slower and it just seems to get soft more quickly.”
There was also a maiden first‑class century for Joe Cracknell, as Middlesex fought back from 33 for three – happily for their new first-team coach Dane Vilas – against Northamptonshire at the County Ground.
It was an uncharacteristically smooth day for Somerset’s batters against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, after the openers Tom Kohler Cadmore (104) and Josh Davey put on 186 for the first wicket. Bethell was clonked for 23 in his first two overs.
Sussex’s James Coles was happy to let England wait a little longer for Archer, making his first Division One century, against Durham on a damp day at the Riverside. Archer smacked a quick‑fire 31 at No 10.
Ben Slater fell four runs short of his century for Nottinghamshire against Yorkshire on an absorbing day at Trent Bridge, while the 20-year-old Charlie Allison hit his second consecutive Championship hundred for Essex, this time against Hampshire. Surrey’s Matt Fisher and Jordan Clark grabbed three wickets each as Worcestershire crumbled to 209 all out.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham v Sussex 322-9
Chelmsford: Essex 292-8 v Hants
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 298-6 v Yorkshire
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset 327-3
New Road: Worcestershire 209 v Surrey 47-0
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 187 v Derbyshire 116-2
Blackpool: Lancashire v Kent 213-3
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan 305-5
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire v Middlesex 397-8
Preamble
Good morning from a blowy Blackpool – the waves route-marching across the front in their uniforms of white and murky green. A tricky day with the ball yesterday for Lancashire, as it was for many seamers with the Kookaburra ball. Time for the spinners to cash in? Play starts at 11am round the grounds, do join us!
Cricket watching in Blackpool. pic.twitter.com/BNDzC6Ax15
— tanya aldred (@tjaldred) June 23, 2025
