Ben Stokes led Durham’s response with the bat to Northamptonshire’e 450, scoring 95 as Durham made their way to 302/7 on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship fixture with Northamptonshire.
Matthew Potts mopped up the Northamptonshire tail as they were bowled out for 450 in the morning session, adding 62 to their overnight total.
Durham’s reply got off to a poor start though, as they lost three cheap wickets at the hands of Sanderson and Harry Conway to leave them on the ropes at 30 for three. Stokes then came to the crease at number five and he brought some much-needed impetus to his side’s first innings along with Will Rhodes in a fourth wicket stand worth 153.
The pair both fell at the hands of Conway after tea to leave Durham in a spot of bother and Sanderson backed that up with a late double strike, as the hosts closed on 302 for seven, 148 runs behind.
Ricardo Vasconcelos, unbeaten on 181 overnight, reached his career best score. However, the opener fell short of a double century as Potts got him caught behind for a magnificent 187.
Potts then got a second, dismantling Justin Broad’s stumps after he chopped on. He quickly followed that up with a third as he bowled nightwatcher Conway.
Liam Guthrie and Sanderson frustrated Durham during a final-wicket stand worth 33, but Callum Parkinson wrapped up the Northamptonshire innings, as Guthrie chipped a delivery straight to short mid-wicket.
Durham’s reply got underway just before lunch and they got off to a bad start, as Sanderson got Alex Lees lbw.
The hosts saw themselves through to lunch without further loss, but Sanderson struck again after the break, as he got Ben McKinney caught behind. Conway then joined in on the action as he got the prized wicket of David Bedingham who was caught behind.
That brought Stokes to the crease and he brought his repertoire of shots to the fore, with a lofted shot down the ground off the bowling of Sanderson greeted by applause at Chester-le-Street.
Stokes continued to look good with a couple of dismissive boundaries and the England all-rounder started to build a budding partnership with Rhodes.
Stokes was then dropped on 43, as he attempted to pull a Guthrie short ball, but he top edged it and it flew towards Conway at fine leg who put it down.
Stokes then passed fifty in a Durham shirt for the first time since 2024 from 51 balls and he kept the scoreboard ticking over as his partnership with Rhodes passed three figures.
Stokes then picked up back-to-back boundaries off the bowling of James Sales to continue his rescue mission. Rhodes then notched up his first half-century of the season, with his pragmatic approach paying off.
Stokes continued his assault on the Northamptonshire attack as he played a delightful sweep as he closed in on three figures, but he fell for an excellent 95 after tea as he was bowled by Conway.
Rhodes then fell for a well-made 62 after Conway got him caught behind to leave Durham in trouble.
Graham Clark and Ollie Robinson steadied the ship for the hosts, with the former playing a lovely cover drive to relieve some pressure.
The pair then brought up their 50 partnership, but their combination didn’t last much longer as Sanderson got Clark lbw. The 37-year-old seamer then bowled Kasey Aldridge late on to make sure it was Northamptonshire’s day, as Durham closed the day 148 runs from first innings parity with three wickets in hand.
Ben Stokes strikes lates on his return to Chester-le-Street but Ricardo Vasconcelos hit a magnificent unbeaten century on the opening day of a crucial Rothesay County Championship clash between Division Two pace-setters Durham and Northamptonshire.
Vasconcelos was positive and fluent in making a third century of the season. While his skipper Luke Procter chipped in with 58 in an opening stand worth 191.
A double-wicket over from Ben Raine was the catalyst for a Durham fightback as they took three quick wickets. However, Vasconcelos found a new partner in the form of Saif Zaib, who made 61, and the visitors set a platform for an imposing first innings total, closing on 388 for six.
Durham won the toss and elected to bowl first at Banks Homes Riverside, but Northamptonshire got off to a solid start, with openers Procter and Vasconcelos making it through the first half-hour without loss.
Stokes’ first involvement in the game came in the 11th over, and he very nearly had the breakthrough with his fourth ball, but McKinney dropped Vasconcelos at leg slip on 13.
That was the only wicket-taking chance that Durham created early on, with Procter and Vasconcelos starting to find run-scoring easier as the new ball got softer.
Durham stemmed that flow with a run of maidens, but Vasconcelos broke the pressure with two boundaries from a Kasey Aldridge over. The left-handed opener then passed fifty to leave the visitors in a healthy position at lunch.
The patient Procter then followed suit, with the Northamptonshire skipper notching up his half-century.
Much to Durham’s relief the rain came and there was a pause in proceedings during the afternoon session with an early tea taken, but Vasconcelos continued his excellent knock as he reached three figures.
After waiting so long for a breakthrough, Durham then got two in one over, with Raine getting Procter caught behind and Calvin Harrison lbw.
Despite the wickets, Vasconcelos remained and he continued to make Durham pay for dropping him, as he pulled a Raine delivery to the boundary and he followed that up with a delightful straight drive.
Will Rhodes was then brought into the attack as Durham hunted further inroads and he had an immediate impact as he got Nathan McSweeney caught behind after the Australian strangled one down the legside.
Durham nearly had a fourth as Zaib edged a Matthew Potts delivery in the direction of second slip, but the usually reliable Aldridge couldn’t cling on, and the exact same thing happened a couple of overs later, with Zaib getting another life.
Vasconcelos was dropped yet again as Ollie Robinson dropped one behind the stumps after the left-hander edged a Callum Parkinson delivery.
Zaib was beginning to make the most of his reprieves too, with the all-rounder sweeping two Parkinson deliveries to the boundary. The Northamptonshire number five then notched up a half-century for the third time this season to deepen Durham’s woe.
However, McKinney picked up his maiden First Class wicket with his part-time spin, as Zaib was caught behind down the legside.
Vasconcelos put the cherry on top of his day as he passed 150, but Raine saw off the dangerous James Sales as he sent his stumps flying.
Vasconcelos’ long stay at the crease continued as he whipped a Raine ball to the legside boundary, but Stokes struck as George Bartlett was caught at second slip.
The visitors reached close without further loss, with Vasconcelos unbeaten on 181.