Ben Stokes took two wickets in his first bowling spell for Durham in almost two years during a County Championship match against Worcestershire.
Ben Stokes made his first appearance for Durham in nearly two years as he returned to bowling action on the opening day of the County Championship clash against Worcestershire. The England captain had not played since January’s fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, where he suffered a quad injury. After returning to England, Stokes also missed time due to a broken cheekbone sustained while coaching Durham’s academy, requiring major facial surgery. His recovery delayed his start to the season, but he had targeted the Worcestershire match as his first outing ahead of England’s upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
Ben Stokes needed just eight balls to dismiss his first wicket when he trapped Worcestershire opener Dan Lategan lbw from the second delivery of his second over. Later, after a rain break, he removed Adam Hose for 59 with his first ball back, bowling him through the gate. Stokes bowled two spells of four overs each and another of six overs, split by the second rain delay of the day. His overall figures read 2-40 from 14 overs as Worcestershire finished at 209-7 after 66 possible overs, having recovered from 52-4.
Worcestershire recovered from a shaky start thanks to half-centuries from Adam Hose and Brett D’Oliveira, who put on 92 together. Hose was dropped on 28 when he edged a ball to second slip off Kasey Aldridge, but he went on to score 59. D’Oliveira added 41 as the home side rebuilt their innings around the lunch break. Earlier, Worcestershire had lost three wickets in quick succession before the interval, including Jake Libby and Gareth Roderick, who were caught by Ben Raine.
Alongside Stokes, Ben Raine claimed three wickets, including two catches in his follow-through, while Kashif Ali was caught at cover off his own bowling. Ben Raine finished with 3-47, while Stokes’s 2-40 came from his 14 overs. Durham’s attack struggled to contain Hose and D’Oliveira after the break, as the pair extended Worcestershire’s innings. Stokes showed signs of frustration when he overstepped against Hose for a four, highlighting the pressure on Durham’s bowling unit.
The match saw two extended rain breaks, with the first forcing a two-hour pause just after lunch. When play resumed, Stokes returned but managed only five deliveries before rain arrived again. His next wicket came immediately after the second delay, with Hose beaten by pace and trapped lbw. The conditions and interruptions limited Stokes’s impact, though he showed sharpness in the brief spells he bowled.
Stokes’s strong start has sparked discussion about him opening the bowling for England, especially given his ability to generate early swing. Though he has rarely opened in Tests as captain, his pace and bounce make him an attractive option. England’s new-ball options for the first Test against New Zealand may be limited due to injuries, with Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse unavailable. Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson are expected to be in the squad, alongside one or two other seamers.
Ollie Robinson could return to the England attack, or Sam Cook may earn his second Test cap after his initial appearance. Matthew Potts and Matthew Fisher were part of the Ashes squad, while Sonny Baker, with a central contract, has impressed early in the season. The final selection will partly depend on Marcus North, who is set to leave his role as Durham’s director of cricket to become England’s national selector. North was not present at New Road for the match.