Story of Day Two: Ben Duckett closes in on history as Northants continue to dominate.

Northamptonshire's Ben Duckett celebrates his first double-century. Photo from Cricinfo.

​There were three centurions on day two of the County season as the batsman continued to dominate the opening round of fixtures in the Specsavers County Championship.

In Division One, Nottinghamshire tightened the grip on their opening game of the season as they forced Surrey to follow on despite being inserted on the opening day. The visitors lost early wickets on Monday as they stuttered to 106-4 at Lunch as Jackson Bird on his Notts debut claimed two early scalps. He first had Rory Burns caught behind by Chris Read before bagging fellow opener Arun Harinath also caught in the slip cordon. But it was Brett Hutton who claimed the biggest wicket before lunch, that of Kumar Sangakkara. The Sri Lankan was smartly held at third slip by Steven Mullaney to give the hosts a firm advantage at the break. 
England T20 opener Jason Roy and former Essex Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes rallied to get the visitors over the hundred mark but Roy fell with the score on 131 as he was trapped leg before by Jake Ball for a well made 26. Thankfully for Surrey, the lower order provided some resistance otherwise, they would be staring at a guaranteed defeat. Instead thanks to runs from Foakes, the Curran brothers, Thomas and Sam, the Rey still have a slight chance of rescuing a draw. Foakes top scored making 39 before he became Harry Gurney’s second victim. Then, Sam Curran fell just four runs later as Hutton bowled him for 20. Samit Patel had spinning counterpart Gareth Batty caught by Greg Smith for 15 as the Surrey captain looked for the boundaries required to avoid the follow-on. But it wasn’t to be for the visitors as Bird wrapped the innings up dismissing Ravi Rampaul for a duck, and then pinning Thomas Curran leg before for 35.  Nottinghamshire were now clearly sensing victory under the gloomy Trent Bridge skies and wasted no time in asking the visitors to try their hand at surviving the final six overs unscathed. A task they managed finishing on 14 without loss, but they face a big third day if they are going to escape this match unscathed. 

Elsewhere, Keaton Jennings starred again with the bat. The Durham opener made his second century of the season to put the Chester-le-street club well in control against Somerset on day two. The West Country club were in disarray at Lunch on Monday as Graham Onions (4-62) left the visitors wobbling at 85-7. The former England man claimed three quick wickets, first, he had James Hildreth caught by Pringle in the slip cordon, then the very next ball he pinned James Allenby in front leg before to leave the visitors staring at the follow-on. And it looked even more likely when their Kolpak star Roelof Van der Merwe walked back to the pavilion for 3 becoming Onion’s fourth victim of the innings. They were seven down when skipper Chris Rogers was brilliantly run-out by Mark Stoneman for 23. The visitors did though avoid the follow-on, thanks largely to Peter Trego’s quick fire 45. Trego struck 5 fours during his 57-ball stay as he found able support from Lewis Gregory (27) and Ryan Davies (14). Chris Rogers’ men were eventually all out for 179 with debutant Brydon Carse finishing the innings off with figures of 2-13. It was then left for Jennings to take centre stage, fresh from his century in the first innings the 23-year-old looked in imperious touch as he saw partners disappear in front of his very eyes. Indeed, after his opening partner Mark Stoneman (41) was dismissed he found support very hard to find. Scott Borthwick got a start before falling for 25. But Jennings went on his merry way to close the day on 105 not out to leave his side in a commanding position. The hosts closed on 223-4, a lead of exactly 300. 

Warwickshire were left frustrated as persistent rain in the Hampshire region overnight and in the morning forced the umpires to abandon play for the day. The hosts will continue on 189-8 when the play does get back under way. 

Division Two:

Ben Duckett continued his individual assault on Sussex as he ended the day still unbeaten on 282. The opener has been out in the middle for the entirety of the match hitting 38 fours and two sixes during his mammoth effort. Ben Brown will be cursing his luck after inserting the hosts on Sunday, but at least, his side enjoyed a better day of things on day two. Youngster George Garton had a day to remember claiming his first three Championship wickets as the visitors rallied to get the hosts seven down when the rain came. Garton’s first was a peach of a delivery to dismiss the experienced Richard Levi who had his off stump sent cartwheeling by the debutant. But as Duckett watched on, seemingly untroubled as his partners came and went, he closed in on a historic treble-century as he continued to dominate his side’s total of 481-7. Garton followed up his maiden wicket by bowling Adam Rossington for 0. He then had Rory Kleinveldt caught behind for 13 to claim the final wicket of the day before sweeping rain forced a premature end to proceedings. 

At Chelmsford, all eyes were on England captain Alastair Cook and the opener duly delivered with a century in a record-breaking second-wicket stand with Tom Westley, who also scored a century on day two. The pair shared a stand of 222 to better the record of Paul Pritchard and Jon Lewis to seemingly put the hosts in control. Cook, struck 16 fours as the Essex man eased to 104 before being trapped leg before by spinner Jack Taylor, who will never forget dismissing the England captain. It was his partner though who looked in better touch. Westley, who has England aspirations himself, reached a composed century before Cook, hitting 22 fours on his way to 121 before also falling to Taylor, caught behind by Gareth Roderick. Dislodging those two gave Gloucester some hope and although the hosts were closing in on the first innings deficit the weather was floating in just as fast. With rain in the air and the floodlights on Roderick decided to take the new ball. In tricky conditions the Eagles struggled. They lost three quick wickets in the Essex gloom with Ravi Bopara, Dan Lawrence, and captain Ryan ten Doeschate all falling in succession. It was former England man Bopara who fell first; Liam Norwell claimed his second wicket of the innings when he bowled the Essex limited-overs captain for 14. Essex lead of five looked a slender one, and when Lawrence fell four runs later the Essex faithful were wishing the rain would get that bit heavier so the hosts could gather themselves during the rain interval. Lawrence became Josh Shaw (on-loan from Yorkshire) first victim caught by Hamish Marshall for 11. Shaw then pinned ten Doeschate leg before for four as the visitors roared back into contention in the fading light.  New Zealander Jesse Ryder (13) and former Essex captain James Foster (3) ensured there were no further losses for the hosts who will now aim to build a solid first innings lead. As rain forced an early close of play, the hosts finished on 287-6 with a slender lead of 25 going into day three. 

Meanwhile, there was more woe at New Road, as yet more rain overnight meant the outfield was still too soggy to play on as no play was possible on day two. 

Reports by David Bowden (Bowdenwhu)

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