County Championship: Century for Durham skipper Cameron Bancroft against Sussex

Cameron Bancroft
Cameron Bancroft had made just 63 runs in his previous five County Championship innings
County Championship Division One, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove (day one):
Durham 259-5: Bancroft 120*, Eckersley 70*; Jordan 4-41
Sussex: Yet to bat
Durham 2 pts, Sussex 1 pt
Scorecard

Australia opener Cameron Bancroft hit his first County Championship century for Durham on a rain-hit day at Sussex.

Durham skipper Bancroft hit his 13th first-class ton in 179 balls as the visitors recovered from 90-5.

It had looked set to be Sussex's day after a fine spell of bowling from England international Chris Jordan, who took three wickets in eight balls.

However, Bancroft (120 not out) and Ned Eckersley (70 not out) put on 169 to steer Durham to 259-5 by the close.

Bancroft, who returned from a nine-month ball-tampering ban in December, hit two centuries in the One-Day Cup in April but has struggled for form in the Championship.

He was dropped by wicketkeeper Ben Brown on 59 but, aside from that, made relatively serene progress for the bottom side.

The visitors made a disastrous start when opener Alex Lees went for a duck off the bowling of Jordan, who later accounted for Jack Burnham (13), Graham Clark (0) and Liam Trevaskis (0) in eight balls.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Martin Emmerson:

"This was the first time Durham captain Cameron Bancroft has opened the batting in the County Championship.

"Durham had recovered well from the loss of opener Alex Lees for a second-ball duck, but then lost three wickets in two Chris Jordan overs to leave them struggling before tea on a weather-affected first day.

"Bancroft and Ned Eckersley's partnership is already Durham's best sixth-wicket stand against Sussex."

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