Jamie Smith produced the perfect dress rehearsal for his England debut on day one of Surrey’s top-of-the-table Vitality County Championship clash with Essex.
Named on Sunday morning as the only wicketkeeper in England’s 14-man squad for the first Test against the West Indies a week on Wednesday, Smith (100) struck his second century of the season.
The 23-year-old hit two sixes and 14 fours during his outing as the hosts reached 248-8 on a rain-shortened day at The Oval.
Keaton Jennings’ (183no) fourth hundred of the campaign steered Lancashire to 344-8 against Nottinghamshire at Southport after the visitors threatened to take charge following lunch.
Lyndon James (3-53) shone with a three-for as a sell-out crowd were denied the opportunity of seeing James Anderson in action for Lancashire one more time.
Hampshire skipper James Vince (149no) made his second century in a week against Kent at Utilita Bowl to help his side recover from 56-3 to end the day 310-3, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Ben Brown (106no) who also hit a century.
Warwickshire fought back against Somerset at Taunton with Michael Burgess’ (126no) century helping the Bears recover from 40-4 to 373-8 at the close of play.
Somerset seamer Migael Pretorius (4-72) finished on a four-fer whilst Jack Leach (2-69) earned two scalps.
Wickets clattered at Chester-le-Street as Durham were all out for 190 with England’s Test captain Ben Stokes (56) reaching a half-century.
Stokes (1-23) removed Worcestershire skipper Libby (13) as the hosts were bowled out for 112 in reply with Matthew Potts (4-29) and Ben Raine (3-33) taking the bulk of the wickets. Durham reached 33-3 at the close to carve out a lead of 111.
Division Two
In Division Two, Sussex’s Ollie Robinson (4-42) bounced back from being overlooked for England’s Test squad against Northamptonshire.
Robinson finished with a four-fer as the hosts were dismissed for 97 on an eventful day at Northampton.
On a day which saw 22 wickets fall, Sussex had themselves been bowled out for 143 with Jack White (4-23) taking four as the visitors lost six wickets for 47 runs in 19 overs – and closed at 83-2 and a lead of 129.
Yorkshire’s Sri Lanka pace bowler Vishwa Fernando (5-30) helped skittle Derbyshire for 76 at Chesterfield with the help of Jordan Thompson (4-31) as Derbyshire subsided on a challenging surface in less than 28 overs.
Yorkshire turned the screw with James Wharton (116no) racing to a maiden first-class hundred before bad light ended play leaving the tourists on 283-5 with a commanding lead of 207.
Ben Mike’s (5-22) produced a career-best spell to enable Leicestershire to dismiss Middlesex for 86.
Loan signing Ben Green (4-28) also posted personal-best figures with only Leus Du Plooy (28) and Sam Robson (10) reaching double figures.
Leicestershire had earlier made 179 with Lewis Goldsworthy (41) top scoring and reached stumps at 40-1 in their second innings, 133 ahead.
Gloucestershire recovered from 88-8 at lunch to post 179 in their first innings against Glamorgan at Cheltenham.
Marchant de Lange (46no) shared a record-breaking last-wicket stand of 75 with Ajeet Singh Dale (32) as Glamorgan’s Timm van der Gugten (5-59) returned season-best figure.
Glamorgan finished an astonishing day 133-7, with Gloucestershire’s overseas all-rounder Beau Webster (3-16) enjoying a three-wicket burst in 12 balls.
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