Emilio Gay marked his maiden England call-up with a six-ball duck on a difficult day for Durham at Kent in Rothesay Division Two.
After Kent took their overnight total of 385 for four to 523 all out, despite six for 92 for Matthew Potts, Gay’s stay at the crease in Beckenham only lasted two overs after he was bowled by Matt Milnes.
Ben Stokes fared slightly better and Durham’s hopes on day three will pin on the England captain after he finished with eight not out alongside David Bedingham, who will resume unbeaten on 72 with the visitors on 173 for five.
Wet weather impacted cricket up and down the country, with only 37 overs possible at the Kia Oval in Division One where Jonny Bairstow only added four runs before he was dismissed for 120, but Yorkshire were able to get up to 486.
Dom Bess hit 42 as Yorkshire added 124 runs before Dan Lawrence claimed two wickets for Surrey with his leg breaks to bring the visitors’ innings to an end.
However, Surrey openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley only faced four overs as the fixture in south London headed for a draw.
Warwickshire are in a tricky position at Edgbaston after they were reduced to 123 for six, with Glamorgan dismissed for 360 at the start of day two.
It was a similar story at the Ageas Bowl where Sonny Baker claimed a wicket after he was named in England’s Test squad this week, but Nottinghamshire were able to close on 124 for three in reply to 214 for hosts Hampshire.
Essex were indebted to their lower-order batters after nightwatchman Jamie Porter hit 52 before half-centuries for Charlie Allison and number eight Wiaan Mulder ensured the home team were 281 for eight at the end of day two and in with a fighting chance of matching Leicestershire’s 333.
Somerset exerted their dominance over Sussex on day two with Craig Overton able to smash a century before they declared on 526 for eight.
Overton (111) and Tom Abell, who hit 119, put on 146 for the sixth wicket but curiously Sussex captain Ollie Robinson failed to bowl himself on a tough day for his county in Taunton, four days after he returned to the England set-up.
Robinson then watched Sussex lose a wicket after the rain briefly held off to finish on 22 for one to leave an uphill task to save the match with two days left.
In Division Two, there was no play at Southport with Lancashire and Worcestershire disrupted by wet weather all day, while Northamptonshire were dismissed for 127 on a rain-affected day two at Gloucestershire.
Hundreds for Ben Aitchison and Wayne Madsen put Derbyshire in a position of strength at Lord’s after they posted 376 and Middlesex finished on 13 for one still trailing by 186 runs.
England squad for first Test vs New Zealand
Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire)
Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Matthew Fisher (Surrey)
Emilio Gay (Durham)
James Rew (Somerset)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Jamie Smith (Surrey)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
England vs New Zealand fixtures
First Test (Thursday June 4 – Monday June 8) – Lord’s, London (11am)Second Test (Wednesday June 17 – Sunday June 21) – The Kia Oval, London (11am)Third Test (Thursday June 25 – Monday June 29) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (11am)
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