Alex Lees posts third century in a row as Durham pile on the runs

Durham 433 for 8 (Lees 195, Clark 82) lead Gloucestershire 316 by 117 runs

Lees anchored the innings with a flawless knock of 195, posting his highest rating as a Durham participant since his transfer to Seat Unique Riverside in 2018. Graham Clark offered the right complement with 82 as the 2 shared a stand price 195 after the hosts have been diminished to 109 for 4 in reply to Gloucestershire’s 316.

The two batters rebuilt the innings and propelled Durham forward within the sport, having skittled the guests’ tail inside the first half-hour of day two. It allowed Brydon Carse to tee off late within the day to push the hosts right into a 117-run lead on the shut with two first-innings wickets remaining.

Resuming on 280 for six, Gloucestershire put their foot down earlier than the arrival of the brand new ball. Zafar Gohar smashed three boundaries off Carse’s first over, whereas Josh Shaw cleared the rope with an enormous strike over long-on in opposition to Parkinson to earn a second batting bonus level.

Durham answered fireplace with fireplace as Carse responded with a hostile spell to make the breakthrough. Shaw might solely glove behind to Robinson down the leg-side and the subsequent ball was too good for Matt Taylor. Zaman Akhter survived the hat-trick ball and one other barrage from Carse earlier than the arrival of the brand new ball.

Ben Raine then wrapped up the innings inside three deliveries with the brand new Kookaburra in hand by bowling Gohar and pinning Dominic Goodman lbw, securing most bowling factors for the hosts.

Shaw made fast inroads for the guests to take away Michael Jones, however Lees responded by taking the assault to the Gloucestershire bowlers. The left-hander shared a stand price 67 with Scott Borthwick earlier than the Durham captain picked out substitute fielder Jack Taylor as he aimed to clear the brief boundary, presenting Shaw together with his second wicket.

Lees labored his technique to his fifty from solely 56 balls, however Durham had points on the different finish when David Bedingham emulated his captain’s dismissal falling three balls earlier than the lunch break. Ollie Robinson continued the procession after the interval as fell caught and bowled to Goodman, leaving Durham in hassle at 109 for 4 after shedding three wickets for 32.

The residence aspect required persistence on the crease and Lees duly delivered with out taking any dangers on his march to a few figures. He confirmed composure in a sluggish grind by the nineties earlier than mentioning his third hundred of the time period after placing Gohar straight down the bottom to the fence.

Clark provided a helpful foil on the different finish to assist the previous England opener. After a interval of consolidation, the 2 batters upped the ante and cranked up the strain on the Gloucestershire bowlers.

James Bracey turned to quite a lot of choices, however couldn’t cease the onslaught from the fifth-wicket stand, particularly from Lees who powered his technique to his highest rating of the season by passing 150 with three-straight pulls to the boundary in opposition to Akhter.

Ben Charlesworth took the ball within the seventieth over and at last broke the stand for 195 when Clark drilled the ball straight to Chris Dent at brief mid-wicket, falling narrowly wanting a deserved century. Carse and Lees guided the hosts to their third batting bonus level earlier than the brand new ball.

Matt Taylor discovered his rhythm from the off with the brand new ball to finish Lees’ sensible knock for 195 after which Raine first ball to offer the guests hope of skittling the hosts late within the day. But, Carse stamped his authority within the remaining hour, reaching fifty from 45 balls and smashing three sixes within the course of, making certain Durham ended the night in command closing in on most batting factors.