County wrap: How the Aussies fared in the fourth round

Division One

Jake Weatherald – Leicestershire

104no (116)

 

Season to date: 314 runs at 104.66

The Test opener brought up his first three-figure score since last July but then retired hurt with cramp late on day two of Leicestershire’s high-scoring draw with Glamorgan. Weatherald didn’t return the following day out of “precaution” as his side racked up 7(dec)-586 in Cardiff and the match petered out to a stalemate across the last two days.

There were some nervous moments in the nineties for the left-hander, who has now compiled consecutive scores of 83, 31, 96 and 104no this county season, as he missed a reverse sweep that went for four byes and top-edged leg-spinner Mason Crane over the wicketkeeper’s head in the two deliveries before he reached his century with a single to deep point.

Weatherald hit 14 boundaries in his almost run-a-ball knock, and with 314 runs in his four innings, he has the second highest average in division one this year of players to bat more than once. It was Weatherald’s maiden first-class century in England and his first since his 183 for Australia A against Sri Lanka last year.

Beau Webster – Warwickshire

25 (54)

 

1-53 (13) & 2-55 (23)

 

Season to date: 232 runs at 38.66, six wickets at 36.16

Webster’s Warwickshire also played out a high-scoring draw at Trent Bridge, forced to toil for 166 overs in the third innings after making Nottinghamshire follow on. The Test allrounder sent down 23 of those – a mixture of his medium pace and spin – and was the pick of the Bears bowlers with 2-55. His wickets included South African wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, bowled under-edging an off spinner after he’d scored 115, and opener Ben Slater caught at point.

Webster hit three fours in his first innings effort from No.5, but couldn’t kick on after getting set, chopping a wide half-volley from England quick Josh Tongue onto his stumps. He then watched on as Warwickshire No.6 Ed Barnard (165) teamed up with the lower order to lift the side to 459 all out.

Sam Whiteman – Yorkshire

101 (195)

 

Season to date: 191 runs at 38.20

The West Australian scored a dream first century for the county he was born in as his UK-based father Richard watched on in the Headingley grandstand. Whiteman was born in Doncaster, about 40km south of Leeds and signed a three-year deal with Yorkshire ahead of the season as a local player courtesy of his British passport.

After a slow start to the season, the left-hander took advantage as the county runs flowed at the end of April, hitting 11 boundaries as Yorkshire replied to Sussex’s 502 in the first innings with 511 – a match that also finished in a draw. First-drop Whiteman put on 182 with opener Finlay Bean (105) and 43 with Joe Root (96), impressing the England Test great when he went to his century off his 188th ball faced with a crisp straight six off spinner James Coles.

But Whiteman couldn’t kick on and was soon dismissed seven balls later by right-arm paceman Henry Crocombe. “To score my first hundred, especially at home, for Yorkshire was special. It’s still a nice wicket, but I felt good out there,” he told Yorkshire Cricket website at stumps on day three.

Sean Abbott – Surrey

2-80 (24) & 0-43 (15)

 

8 (25)

 

Season to date: 50 runs at 16.66, three wickets at 93.66

A quiet game for the New South Welshman in the fourth of four division one games to finish in a draw in round four. Abbott’s two wickets in the first innings were both leg before dismissals, trapping former Brisbane Heat international Paul Walter after he’d made 101 and South African spinner Simon Harmer for 41.

Ryan Hadley – Glamorgan

2-90 (23)

 

Season to date: 12 wickets at 25.91

The in-from NSW quick was among Glamorgan’s best with his two wickets as bat dominated ball at Sophia Gardens. Jake Weatherald’s Leicestershire kept the Welsh county in the dirt for 169 overs in scoring 7(dec)-586. Hadley even had a decent go of it with the bat in Glamorgan’s first innings 440, cracking two fours in his 36-ball 11 not out.

The right-armer remains in the top seven wicket-takers in division one this season, dismissing former Victorian allrounder Ian Holland (79) caught at deep third and bowling Lewis Hill for 42 in back-to-back overs.

Daniel Hughes – Sussex

10 (34) & 0 (4)

 

Season to date: 214 runs at 35.66

The veteran left-hander missed out among the run fest at Headingley as he succumbed to the new ball in both innings of Sussex’s high-scoring draw with Yorkshire. Hughes appeared aggrieved to be given out caught behind off Jack White on day one by a ball the beat his inside edge and also brushed his pad on the way through to keeper Finlay Bean.

But there was no doubt about his second innings dismissal, beaten again on the inside by West Australian quick Jhye Richardson as the ball decked back and crashed into the top of middle stump.

Jhye Richardson – Yorkshire

0-131 (21) & 2-59 (13)

 

Season to date: Three wickets at 80.33

It was a tough weekend for bowlers on a flat deck at Headingley and Richardson copped the full brunt of it in the first innings, conceding 131 in 21 wicketless overs at an average of 6.24 runs per over.

But the West Australian bounced back in the second innings with two wickets, which included former NSW batter Daniel Hughes with a delivery that decked into the left-hander from over the wicket and clipped the top of middle stump. Richardson also bowled James Coles on day four with a well-directed yorker that cannoned into the base of leg stump after the right-hander moved too far to the off-side.

Division Two

Marcus Harris – Lancashire

146 (265) & 12 (20)

 

Season to date: 360 runs at 60

County run-machine Harris produced his second century of the season for Lancashire, ending round four as the leading scorer in division two this season. But his first innings effort went in vain as Durham staged as remarkable day four come back to win by eight wickets chasing 336.

Harris made the most of being dropped twice on the opening day, reaching his 35th first-class century and fifth in 25 innings for Lancashire with a single to long on off left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson.

“He’s been incredible, carrying on from where he left off last season. We got a few stats sent through. It’s the most runs (1,375) anyone has scored in their first 24 innings in a Lancashire shirt,” assistant coach Will Porterfield said. The left-hander kicked on to 146 with 21 fours before he flashed at a back of length delivery from Ben Raine and was caught at second slip. In the second innings, he fell edging behind off England quick Matthew Potts, who took 3-57 to bring his side back into the contest.

Cameron Bancroft – Gloucestershire

40 (105) & 19no (15)

 

Season to date: 133 runs at 19

After heavy defeats in their first three games of the season, Gloucestershire skipper Bancroft was unbeaten when his side broke through for this first win of 2026, finishing 19 not out as they thumped Derbyshire by 10 wickets. The West Australian opener helped set a solid foundation on day one with his first-innings 40 before a Miles Hammond century and a ninth-wicket stand of 191 between Henry Brookes (89) and Will Williams (98) saw Gloucestershire post 498 batting first.

Fellow Australian Gabe Bell took six wickets for the match as Derbyshire were dismissed for 281 and 252 following on, with Bancroft hitting a four and a six as Gloucester chased 36 in just 4.4 overs to win.

Gabe Bell – Gloucestershire

3-84 (26) & 3-44 (18)

 

Season to date: 10 wickets at 39.80

Tasmanian Bell was the pick of Gloucestershire’s bowlers as they sealed a 10-wicket win, their first of the season after three straight defeats, at Derby on Monday. After finding form in the previous round, the right-armer backed up his first-innings 3-84 with 3-44 in the second as Derbyshire were dismissed for 252 following on. Club captain Cameron Bancroft finished 19 not out as Gloucester took less than five overs to reach their 36-run target as rain threatened.

The pick of Bell’s six wickets for the match was possibly his delivery that knocked Martin Andersson’s middle stump out of the ground after decking back sharply off the seam, while he also picked up the first Derbyshire wicket of the match with a similar delivery that cannoned into Harry Came’s pad.

Caleb Jewell – Derbyshire

28 (77) & 10 (27)

 

Season to date: 99 runs at 19.80

The left-hander got going into both innings but couldn’t kick on as his Derbyshire outfit went down by 10 wickets to Tasmanian teammate Gabe Bell’s Gloucestershire. Jewell was bowled in both innings, beaten by a full, spinning delivery from left-armer Graeme van Buuren in the first dig and then right-arm seamer Craig Miles in the second.

Did not play:

Fergus O’Neill (rib) missed Nottinghamshire’s draw with Warwickshire through injury, while Jake Lehmann’s Hampshire and Nathan McSweeney and Harry Conway’s Northamptonshire had byes in round four.

2026 County Championship division two standings

Australians in the 2026 County Championship

Derbyshire: Caleb Jewell

Glamorgan: Nathan McAndrew (June)

Gloucestershire: Cameron Bancroft, Gabe Bell (first six matches), Liam Scott (June)

Hampshire: Jake Lehmann

Lancashire: Marcus Harris

Leicestershire: Jake Weatherald

Northamptonshire: Nathan McSweeney, Harry Conway (first two months only)

Nottinghamshire: Fergus O’Neill (April-June only)

Surrey: Sean Abbott (first half of season)

Sussex: Daniel Hughes

Warwickshire: Beau Webster (first half of season)

Yorkshire: Sam Whiteman, Jhye Richardson (until mid-May)