By Dom Harris
The second round of the 2025 Rothesay County Championship provided one other enthralling 4 days across the 2 divisions, culminating with a nerve-shredding climax at Durham where Warwickshire held their nerve to chase 339 with one wicket in hand.
Elsewhere in Division One, Sussex beat Somerset and Yorkshire hammered Worcestershire to each secure their first victories since promotion – the Pears on the unsuitable end of one other record for the second week running.
Hampshire put an end to their rot in South London with a battling draw against Surrey, whilst the sport at Trent Bridge between Nottinghamshire and Essex petered out right into a draw on the ultimate day.
In Division Two, Kent made it two wins from two to put down their promotion credentials, a much-improved Northamptonshire were forced to accept a draw at Lancashire, whilst there have been also high-scoring draws within the games at Bristol and Leicester.
With plenty of impressive individual and team efforts, we highlight just a number of the standout contributions from the motion in round two.
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1. Cameron Bancroft (Gloucestershire)
Australian opener Bancroft was amongst a big influx of overseas players who arrived for his or her county stints previously week.
Lower than two days after returning to Bristol following a highly productive 2024 campaign, the newly-appointed Gloucestershire red-ball captain wasted no time as he notched 163 from 267 balls to guide his side to an imposing first innings total of 546 against Glamorgan.
2. Dom Sibley (Surrey)
Whilst the defending champions haven’t had all of it their very own way thus far, Sibley has enjoyed a formidable begin to the season as he followed up his rearguard half-century at Essex with a century in each innings against Hampshire.
In typically patiently-constructed fashion, the previous England Test opener carried his bat for an unbeaten 100 off 217 balls in the primary, before a 223-ball 105 within the second enabled Surrey to set the visitors a difficult goal of 377.
3. Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
The experienced Malan hit two half-centuries as Yorkshire routed Worcestershire by a whopping 504 runs at Headingley – the most important margin of victory by runs in County Championship history.
The previous England man fell just in need of a ton in the primary innings as he top scored with 98, before a rapid 76* off just 64 balls gave the hosts an insurmountable lead in excess of 600 once they declared.
4. Colin Ingram (Glamorgan)
39-year-old Ingram earned Glamorgan a attract a rain-affected contest against Gloucestershire as he led the resistance in each innings.
The South African veteran, who was the highest run-scorer in Division Two last 12 months, registered his first century of the 2025 season in the primary innings after which kept the hosts at bay for an unbeaten 77 because the Welsh side were made to follow-on.
5. Kai Smith (Warwickshire)
20-year-old wicketkeeper Smith was involved in a significant century stand in each innings to assist Warwickshire complete an exciting one-wicket win at Durham.
Along with his side 157-6 and still trailing by over 200 runs, Smith added 125 for the seventh wicket with Michael Booth as he top scored with 79 for the visitors in the primary innings.
Chasing 339 for victory, he walked out to the center for the second time in a good more perilous position at 90-5 but went on to make 62 in a 147-run partnership with centurion Ed Barnard on an absorbing final day.
6. John Simpson (Sussex)
For the second week running, Sussex captain Simpson makes it into this team after a stellar begin to the campaign.
His century within the second innings was his second of the season and seventh in 16 first-class appearances for the club at a median of 86.50.
A somewhat modest 47 on day one helped guide Sussex to a decent 294, before an unbeaten 110 catapulted the hosts right into a lead of 594 to set them on their approach to a primary win in Division One for ten years – he also took five catches behind the stumps in Somerset’s first innings for good measure.
7. Ben Raine (Durham)
Durham got here up narrowly short against Warwickshire in a County Championship classic, though the efforts of all-rounder Raine didn’t should be on the losing side.
His crucial 81 at number eight within the second innings steered Durham away from imminent trouble at 125-6 and right into a position to establish an intriguing fourth innings chase.
Despite claiming 4 wickets on the ultimate day – including each openers and the damaging Smith – along with his two wickets in the primary innings, it was not quite enough as Ethan Bamber calmly got the visitors over the road.
8. Jordan Thompson (Yorkshire)
The all-rounder made a big contribution with each bat and ball in Yorkshire’s record-breaking win.
The left-handed batter raced to 70 off just 58 balls in the primary innings to firmly swing the balance of play within the hosts’ favour, before picking up three wickets in a cost-effective spell to go away the visitors staring down the barrel.
An additional two wickets in Worcestershire’s second innings, including that of opener Gareth Roderick, rounded off each a formidable individual and team performance.
9. Calvin Harrison (Northamptonshire)
Debuts don’t come a lot better than this one by Harrison, a leg-spin all-rounder who joined Northamptonshire on loan from Nottinghamshire for 2 games.
Straight into the XI for the trip to Lancashire, the 26-year-old made a career-best 56 at number nine as Darren Lehmann‘s side put last week’s batting struggles behind them to rack up 496 at Old Trafford.
In his primary role with ball in hand, Harrison ended with match figures of 11-153 across a mammoth 76 overs, including a second innings 7-fer, though his efforts weren’t rewarded with a victory as Lancashire held on in the ultimate day after being forced to follow-on.
10. Michael Booth (Warwickshire)
An excellent all-round performance by Booth, who made greater than useful lower-order runs in each innings and was also the pick of the Warwickshire bowlers.
His seven wickets within the match included career-best figures of 4-66, removing the likes of David Bedingham, Alex Lees and Colin Ackermann.
With the bat, Booth also registered an unbeaten maiden first-class half century in a game-shifting stand with Smith, before later scoring 40 to assist get the visitors inside touching distance of the 339 goal.
11. Sean Hunt (Sussex)
23-year-old Hunt also claimed career-best figures because the tall left-armer played a starring role with the ball to assist secure Sussex’s first win back in Division One.
After adding 33 in a handy tenth-wicket partnership price 52 with Jayden Seales, Hunt earned his maiden five-wicket haul as he ran through the Somerset lower order within the morning session of day two.
With Somerset requiring a near unattainable 595, it was at the highest of the order where Hunt did all of the damage within the second innings with the primary 4 wickets, which included opening round triple centurion Tom Banton for a duck.
He finished with match figures of 9-76, though was unable so as to add to his tally on day 4 as a consequence of an arm injury and will only watch on as the house side eventually wore down a spirited Somerset to secure the victory.
Honourable Mentions
Josh Bohannon (Lancashire) – match-saving 155 to thwart Northamptonshire on the ultimate day.
Jack Haynes (Nottinghamshire) – career-best 142 and maiden Notts ton to carry up Essex progress and ensure his side secured a draw.
George Hill (Yorkshire) – 63 in the primary innings and five wickets within the match as Yorkshire comprehensively beat Worcestershire.
Ben McKinney (Durham) – career-best 153 to anchor the Durham innings on the primary day against Warwickshire.
Tawanda Muyeye (Kent) – fluent 125 unbeaten as Kent made light work of a difficult chase against Middlesex.
Grant Stewart (Kent) – top rating of 56 to assist rescue Kent’s first innings and five wickets within the match.
Logan van Beek (Leicestershire) – 82 not out in the primary innings and five wickets within the match on Leicestershire debut in a draw with Derbyshire.
