Durham wrap up a nine wicket victory over Gloucestershire to go 54 points clear in the County Championship.

The hosts began day three needing 17 to secure maximum batting points and Matthew Potts duly obliged with the bat before he blew the game open with the new Kookaburra ball. The England seamer claimed figures of four for 24 in his six-over burst dismantling the Gloucestershire top order.

Miles Hammond prevented an innings’ defeat with a defiant knock of 86, but Matt Parkinson and Brydon Carse claimed two wickets apiece to clean up the tail, leaving Durham to chase only 52. The hosts eased over the line within 12 overs to extend their lead at the top of Division Two with five games remaining after claiming 24 points from the contest.

Resuming on day three on 433 for seven and Carse unbeaten on 60, Durham looked to press on and reach the 17 runs required to secure maximum batting points for the fifth time of the campaign.

But, Matt Taylor ended Carse’s knock to claim his 200th first-class wicket after the Durham all-rounder added only two runs to his overnight score. Two boundaries from Potts saw the hosts over the 450-mark before he was caught on the fence to hand Dominic Goodman his fourth wicket, finishing with career-best figures.

After rain forced an early lunch, Potts turned the screw with a devastating new-ball spell to demolish the Gloucestershire top order.

Having been overlooked by the England selectors for the 4th Ashes Test, Potts continued his devastating Championship form as he bowled Ben Charlesworth, Ollie Price and Chris Dent with outstanding deliveries, removing the top three for single-figure scores, reducing the visitors to 10 for three.

Grant Roelofsen soon followed with an outside edge to present Potts with a fourth wicket, while at the other end, Hammond was given a reprieve when he was dropped at slip on six. Hammond and James Bracey offered resistance against the new ball to prevent Potts surging through the line-up.

The backbone of the Gloucestershire line-up was broken when Bracey chased a wide one from Migael Pretorius to end the stand for 39. Zafar Gohar survived a couple of close calls against Matt Parkinson, but then gave his wicket away attempting to launch a slog-sweep that only ended up in the grasp of Carse.

Hammond held up the Durham victory charge with a defiant knock of 86, scoring his second fifty of the game. He shared a partnership worth 62 with Taylor to prevent an innings defeat for the visitors. Taylor frustrated the Durham attack for almost an hour, keeping Potts and Carse at bay. But, Raine’s return broke the stand removing Taylor for 22 before Hammond was caught on the leg-side pushing for his century, falling 14 runs shy, leaving Durham requiring only 52 to register their fifth win of the campaign.

Alex Lees was the only man to fall in the chase when he was bowled by Gohar for 22. Scott Borthwick and Michael Jones were there at the end to secure the win within 12 overs, taking maximum points in the process.

Alex Lees scored his third century in as many innings to guide Durham into a strong position against Gloucestershire in their LV= Insurance County Championship clash.

Lees anchored the innings with a flawless knock of 195, posting his highest score as a Durham player since his move to Seat Unique Riverside in 2018. Graham Clark provided the perfect complement with 82 as the two shared a stand worth 195 after the hosts were reduced to 109 for four in reply to Gloucestershire’s 316.

The two batters rebuilt the innings and propelled Durham ahead in the game, having skittled the visitors’ tail within the first half-hour of day two. It allowed Brydon Carse to tee off late in the day to push the hosts into a 117-run lead at the close with two first-innings wickets remaining.

Resuming on 280 for six, Gloucestershire put their foot down before the arrival of the new ball. Zafar Gohar smashed three boundaries off Carse’s first over, while Josh Shaw cleared the rope with a huge strike over long-on against Parkinson to earn a second batting bonus point.

Durham answered fire with fire as Carse responded with a hostile spell to make the breakthrough. Shaw could only glove behind to Robinson down the leg-side and the next ball was too good for Matt Taylor. Zaman Akhter survived the hat-trick ball and another barrage from Carse before the arrival of the new ball.

Ben Raine then wrapped up the innings within three deliveries with the new Kookaburra in hand by bowling Gohar and pinning Dominic Goodman lbw, securing maximum bowling points for the hosts.
 
Shaw made quick inroads for the visitors to remove Michael Jones, but Lees responded by taking the attack to the Gloucestershire bowlers. The left-hander shared a stand worth 67 with Scott Borthwick before the Durham captain picked out substitute fielder Jack Taylor as he aimed to clear the short boundary, presenting Shaw with his second wicket.

Lees worked his way to his fifty from only 56 balls, but Durham had issues at the other end when David Bedingham emulated his captain’s dismissal falling three balls before the lunch break. Ollie Robinson continued the procession after the interval as fell caught and bowled to Goodman, leaving Durham in trouble at 109 for four after losing three wickets for 32.

The home side required patience at the crease and Lees duly delivered without taking any risks on his march to three figures. He showed composure in a slow grind through the nineties before bringing up his third hundred of the term after striking Gohar straight down the ground to the fence.

Clark offered a useful foil at the other end to support the former England opener. After a period of consolidation, the two batters upped the ante and cranked up the pressure on the Gloucestershire bowlers.

James Bracey turned to a variety of options, but could not stop the onslaught from the fifth-wicket stand, especially from Lees who powered his way to his highest score of the season by passing 150 with three-straight pulls to the boundary against Akhter.

Ben Charlesworth took the ball in the 70th over and finally broke the stand for 195 when Clark drilled the ball straight to Chris Dent at short mid-wicket, falling narrowly short of a deserved century. Carse and Lees guided the hosts to their third batting bonus point before the new ball.

Matt Taylor found his rhythm from the off with the new ball to end Lees’ brilliant knock for 195 and then Raine first ball to give the visitors hope of skittling the hosts late in the day. But, Carse stamped his authority in the final hour, reaching fifty from 45 balls and smashing three sixes in the process, ensuring Durham ended the evening in command closing in on maximum batting points.