Warwickshire Win Thriller Against Durham as Sussex Pick up First Win Since Promotion

A final wicket partnership of 20* between number 10, Ethan Bamber, and number 11, Vishwa Fernando, secured a tense one-wicket win for Warwickshire against Durham. This was just their second win in first-class cricket since the start of the 2024 season, having failed to register more than one win last season.

Bamber (30* from 46 balls) finished proceedings with a straight six off the bowling of Ben Raine after a period of rotating the strike to ensure Fernando faced only 17 balls and scored from just two of them. Raine was now into his 30th over, and once the final runs had been scored, he had taken 4-89.

Ed Barnard (101) and Kai Smith (62) broke the back of the chase with a 147 run partnership as Warwickshire made good progress towards their target of 339.

Earlier in the match, Durham's Ben McKinney picked up his third first-class century (153) to further his England claims ahead of the Test summer and take his team to a first innings total of 387. Warwickshire then got to 325, and then Durham followed this with 276/8dec and set the visitors 339 to win. The target was chased down in 92.3 overs.

At Hove, Sussex put in a dominant performance against Somerset to win by a margin of 260 runs, their first win in the top division since 2015. Sussex's Sean Hunt, who was unable to bowl on the final day due to injury, took 5-48 in the first innings and 4-28 in the first part of the second innings. His four wickets in the second innings were the first four to fall as Somerset finished the third day on 125/4. Hunt also accounted for the last four Somerset were bowled out shortly before the tea interval for 334.

On day one, Sussex had been bowled out for 294, thanks in large part to a late-order flurry of boundaries from Hunt, John Simpson, Jayden Seales and Jack Carson. Hunt and Seales added 52 runs for the final to wrestle momentum in their favour. Somerset were then skittled for 201, with only James Rew (80*) and Lewis Gregory (36) providing any hope for the visiting side with a partnership of 110. The pitch then flattened out, and Sussex progressed to 501/7dec to leave Somerset a chase of 595.

At Headingley, there was a turn of fortune for both Yorkshire and Worcestershire. The Pears followed up their 200 over vigil from the previous week with two collapses of 162 and 135 as they faced a record 'by runs' defeat at the hands of Yorkshire. The 504-run margin was achieved within three days and included a second first-class century for Dom Bess, who made 107 in their second innings total of 315/4dec, setting Worcestershire 610. This was after Yorkshire made 456 in the first innings; Dawid Malan top-scored with 98.

An anti-climactic end to the Surrey and Hampshire match at The Oval saw both teams come away with a draw following a controversial interruption for bad light. Dom Sibley made two centuries in the match, including an unbeaten 100 in the first innings in which he carried his bat. Only Geoff Boycott has carried his bat more times in first-class cricket.

There was also a draw at Trent Bridge, where Nottinghamshire set Essex an unlikely target of 366. Essex finished on 106/1 from 31 overs when both teams shook hands.

In Division Two, Kent picked up their second win of the season with an eight-wicket win over Middlesex at Canterbury. Every other match was a draw. Leicestershire have benefited from the eight points for a draw and sit at the top of the table with 39 points, and Kent, the only team with two wins, are in second with 38 points.