Harry Brook had an unexpected impact with the ball as Yorkshire piled the pressure on Surrey, dismissing England team-mate Jamie Smith for a duck as his occasional seamers claimed three big wickets at Headingley.
Brook has yet to fire with the bat in his two outings for the White Rose but made a big contribution with his unheralded medium-pacers as the hosts enforced the follow-on on day three.
After having Ryan Patel caught for 13, Brook snuck one past Smith’s defences and into the stumps as he collected a prized double-wicket maiden. The scalp of Adam Thomas followed, leaving Brook to celebrate figures of 3-11.
Remarkably, Brook started the day with a grand total of nine first-class wickets and, even more remarkably, his most recent was New Zealand great Kane Williamson in a Test match in 2023. By stumps, Surrey were 83-5 and still 199 short of making Yorkshire bat again.
At Chelmsford, Sam Cook had the perfect response to his latest England omission, helping Essex skittle Leicestershire for 60 to wrap up a three-day win.
The once-capped seamer was overlooked for the likes of Ollie Robinson and Sonny Baker in last week’s first Test squad of the summer, but reaffirmed his credentials as arguably the most reliable bowler on the domestic circuit with a decisive haul of 4-19.
All of his wickets were top-seven batters, with Shane Snater taking 4-12 as the Foxes were shot down in less than 28 overs. Chasing 101, Charlie Allison and Matt Critchley put on 77 to seal a seven-wicket success for the Division One hopefuls.
Leaders and defending champions Nottinghamshire gave themselves a chance of pushing for victory over Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl. Fergus O’Neill took his sixth and seventh wickets of the match to reduce the home side to 82-4, leaving them just 67 ahead.
Earlier Baker celebrated his England call-up by taking 5-45 as Hampshire had got themselves in the game by bowling Nottinghamshire out for 214.
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Sky Sports’ James Cole analyses England’s new look squad for their first Test match against New Zealand
Glamorgan go into the final day at Warwickshire with a handsome lead of 300 as they made their way to 192-5. The country’s leading wicket-taker, Ethan Bamber, took four more but Colin Ingram struck an unbeaten 80.
Sussex face the prospect of following on against Somerset, sitting 290 adrift on 236-8 in spite of opener Daniel Hughes’ 107.
Stokes denied opportunity to resume innings
There was a major disappointment in Division Two, where overnight rain breached the covers at Beckenham and meant no play at all was possible between Kent and Durham despite bright conditions.
That meant a long and fruitless wait for England captain Ben Stokes, who remained eight not out, but the situation may have taken enough time from the game to spare the imperilled visitors a shock defeat.
England Test captain Ben Stokes was denied the chance to resume his innings on Sunday
All results look possible in a tight finish at Bristol, where Northamptonshire closed on 139-4 against bottom club Gloucestershire. Six wickets for the hosts or 106 runs for their opponents will settle matters, with Australia’s Nathan McSweeney in position in 41 not out.
At Lord’s, Middlesex were fighting to avoid defeat by Derbyshire. They closed with a slender lead of 79 and just two second-innings wickets in tact.
England spinner Shoaib Bashir caught top-scorer Leus de Plooy for 95 as the hosts made 278-8, but appeared to injure his hand in the process.
Worcestershire and Lancashire were headed for a draw at Southport, where just 18 wickets have fallen in a weather-shortened contest.
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)
Watch England’s home international summer live on Sky Sports, starting with a three-Test series against New Zealand from June 4. Not got Sky? Stream cricket contract-free on NOW.
