Somerset wrap up rapid win over Durham

Tanya Aldred
Somerset wrapped up their five-wicket win against Durham before tea on day two, though not without a wobble. The surface was the main talking point, with opinions varying depending on the colour of the tracksuit. The Somerset head coach, Jason Kerr, called it “an incredible surface” while Durham’s bowling coach, Graham Onions, was less complimentary about the “excessive turn”. Jack Leach pocketed a six-fer, for the second consecutive game, and Archie Vaughan four, as Durham were bowled out for 190 – leaving Somerset 86 to win. They scraped over the line, despite Callum Parkinson’s four wickets.
After a shimmering century on Tuesday, Rehan Ahmed fizzed out six Derbyshire batters for 51 in a dazzling display of leg-spin. Leicestershire lead by 209. Derbyshire’s Luis Reece had earlier collected six for 56 as Leicestershire’s tail collapsed.
Chris Green won the heart of Lancashire fans with a wham-bam 160, all long levers and princely smile. When he was eventually dismissed for the record score for a Lancashire No 8, his standing ovation ran into the one welcoming No 11, Jimmy Anderson. Tom Hartley then raced to his first first-class century, a clean-hitting knock, pipping Peter Martin to the highest score by a Lancashire No 10. Anderson then licked his lips and whistled out Cameron Bancroft cheaply, but that was Lancs’ only success as Ben Charlesworth hit an excellent century of his own in a match that looks destined for a high-scoring draw.
Ben Kellaway and Colin Ingram batted Glamorgan into an excellent position against Kent, who are making a better fist of their second innings.
With his parents in the crowd, Lyndon James rocked to a maiden double hundred as Nottinghamshire declared on 578 at Southampton; Warwickshire are on the rocks after first Ethan Brookes made a career-best 140 against his old club Worcestershire, and then Khurram Shazad fired six batters out for 42.
Rain ruined much of the day’s play at Scarborough, with just time for Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow to rattle to 72 before being caught off Surrey’s two-match Kookaburra-ball signing Sai Kishore.
England man in the wings Jordan Cox hot-footed to a brilliant century for Essex, putting on 184 with Matt Critchley (a fine 123), who both made the most of a temptingly short boundary on the pavilion side. Sussex toiled away, without the rested Ollie Robinson, until thunderstorms stopped play with the Essex lead 247.
Middlesex declared on 625 for eight, riches beyond dreams, thanks to hundreds for Kane Williamson (in his first red-ball innings for the club) and Leus du Plooy, and 151 for Max Holden. Northants hauled themselves to 121 for four at stumps.
Key events
Feeling genuinely chilly for the first time in a while, time to sign off. Thanks for your company – see you tomorrow!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire 80-0 v Nottinghamshire 578-8dec
Taunton: Somerset 250 and 89-5 BEAT Durham 145 and 190 By FIVE WICKETS
Hove: Sussex 204 v Essex 475-9
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 184 v Worcestershire 333 and 31-0
Scarborough: Yorkshire 376-5 v Surrey
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 189 v Leicestershire 398
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 327 v Kent 155 and 106-1
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 179-1 v Lancashire 557
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 625-8 dec v Northamptonshire 126-4
100 for Ben Charlesworth!
Off just 123 balls, and against England’s leading wicket taker. Cracking knock.
Just popping back to confirm that Rehan Ahmed has six for 50… after yesterday’s quick-fire century. Derbyshire 187-8.
Time for me to write up for the paper, with things slowly pottering to a close here at Cheltenham, and Pant stretchered off in the Test. Hope it isn’t as bad as it looks, he’s such a gem of a player. Do keep chatting BTL.
The hundred partnership between Charlesworth and Phillips comes and goes at Cheltenham. Meanwhile Kent are making a much better fist of their second innings, currently 84-1.
Gloucestershire are going along at quite a lick – 75 for the excellent Charlesworth – 116 for one. The cloud is bunching over Cleve hill and the seagulls circling.
Khurram Shazad pockets victim number six – Bamber lbw for 0. Warwickshire 158-8, trail by 175.
“An incredible surface”
Knock me down, Somerset head coach Jason Kerr has a different view of the Taunton pitch:
“There has been a lot of noise surrounding the pitch, but I thought it was an incredible surface. You can’t see 400 runs scored in a day as happened yesterday and then complain about the wicket.
“We have to find a way of getting results here and because there has been so much cricket at the ground this year we had to prepare a used pitch. Craig and Jack exploited any help in it because they are top quality bowlers.”
“We are running out of superlatives for Jack Leach, who is arguably the best spin bowler in the country. He is an incredible performer and probably does not get enough credit for the job he does for us.
“We have seen a few short run-chases here over the years that can become very hairy, but Tom Banton managed the situation brilliantly today to see us home.”
Rain at Hove, stumps at Scarborough
They haven’t come back on at Hove since tea, and they’ve called it a day at Scarborough.
200 for James!
Notts have declared, James unbeaten on 203, Notts 578-8. Hampshire start their long trudge towards parity – 7 for 0.
“There was excessive turn”
Durham’s bowling coach Graham Onions on the Taunton pitch: “My take on the pitch is that there was excessive turn. The bottom line is that it is day one and a half and the game is over, which is not good for county cricket. Turn on days three and four is okay and it’s a shame because Jack Leach is a fine bowler capable of taking wickets on flat pitches.”
“The pitch helped the bowlers, but we have to be honest with ourselves and admit that looking back we could have done better with some of our dismissals.
“I’m pleased for Callum Parkinson today as I was for George Drissell yesterday. We knew spin would play a big part in the match and, having been out of the team, Parky has worked really hard to put himself back in the frame.”
A chilly wind is now blowing over Cheltenham. Tom Hartley isn’t having much time off from his century, already seven overs into his spell.
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire 571-8
Taunton: Somerset 250 and 89-5 BEAT Durham 145 and 190 By FIVE WICKETS
Hove: Sussex 204 v Essex 451-7
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 144-6 v Worcestershire 333
Scarborough: Yorkshire 376-5 v Surrey Rain stopped play
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 123-3 v Leicestershire 398
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 327 v Kent 155 and 25-0
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 59-1 v Lancashire 557
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 625-8 v Northamptonshire
Somerset BEAT Durham by five wickets
Taunton: Somerset 250 and 89-5 BEAT Durham 145 and 190 By FIVE WICKETS
Derbyshire are wobbling – a second wicket for Rehan Ahmed, 123-3.
And at Cheltenham, Chris Green swishes his cloak, tosses his hair and bowls a maiden over, and they take tea, Gloucestershire 59 for one. Tea scores to follow.
Foreman winkles out Webster for 57 – Warwickshire 122-5.
The equation now five wickets or 21 runs at Taunton.
Four for Parky…
With a six, Lyndon James reaches a career best 167.
While at Taunton, Callum Parkinson has a third. First-innings hero Lammonby gone – 39 needed.
The crowd get what they came for, Jimmy Anderson hoovering up an Australian opener. Gloucestershire 28-1.
In Division One, rain has stopped play at Scarborough again, but they’ve taken an early tea. Yorks 376-5.
Warwickshire have recovered a little, thanks to an attacking half century from Beau Webster and twenty from Kai Smith, who has had a cracking summer (going purely on vibes and not looking anything up). Warwicks 103-5.
An unbeaten 123 by Matt Critchley has put Essex in a dominant position against Sussex, 427-5.
Callum Parkinson has both Somerset openers, who, 26-2 need 60 to beat Durham.
And Jack Haynes (103) and Lyndon James (153 not out) have quietly made centuries to grind Hampshire into the dirt. Notts 501-7. And soon Josh Tongue will arrive, fresh from sitting on an England bench.
So impressive that Gloucestershire only gave away two extras in 141 overs. Jimmy teases and tests, then comes up the other end to arrange Blatherwick’s field.
Jimmy has the ball, as the wind picks up. Phil Salt arranges his hearty slip cordon.
Round the grounds, in a hurry.
In the other Division Two games: Leicestershire’s last six batters made just 15 runs between them so they ended up with an almost disappointing 398. Jewell and Came have carried Derbyshire to 69-1.
Middlesex are batting on, and on, now 552-6, Cracknell just caught off Leech for 73. Du Plooy 69 not out.
And Parky has three, Agar has four, in Glamorgan’s 322-9, a lead of 167 over Kent. Ingram 87, Kellaway 90.
A hundred for Tom Hartley!
In a blizzard of big hitting, Hartley reaches his first hundred for Lancashire – and after more biffing finally falls for 124, a record score for a Lancashire number 11. Lancs finally all out for 557 – and now Gloucestershire must face Jimmy Anderson.
And that is the end of Chris Green, bowled by Charlesworth for 160. He pulls off his helmet, smiles and gets a standing ovation nearly as large as the one that greets No. 11.
Surrey’s slow left arm two-match import rids them of a turbulent red-head (for 72). Yorkshire 376-5.
YES, SAI!! Sai Kishore picks up his first Surrey wicket as Jonny Bairstow is well caught by Will Jacks.
Sai’s bowled extremely well so far, taking 1/52 from 25 overs.
Yorkshire 364/5.
| #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/lL3e8O3f6N
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 23, 2025
Chris Green klaxon (thank you Scott Read). His 158 is the highest score by a Lancashire number eight, beating 155 by Wasim Akram in 1998 and Glenn Chapple in 2001.
And with a seventh six, 150 for Green, as Lancs motor towards 500.
A diversion to Taunton, where Durham are 170-8. “I think it is fair to say that wickets are not tumbling quite so quickly as they were yesterday,” says Vic Marks, “and the seamers are not getting as much purchase. Neil Wagner got 35 as a nightwatchman, and they got about 70 runs in 45 minutes this morning without losing a wicket, so it is not impossible to bat on – but it but demanding. Leach is wheeling away. it is wonderful.”

