County Championship: Durham batters put them on top at Gloucestershire

Durham's Graham Clark had failed to go past fifty in seven previous innings this season

Graham Clark scored his first hundred for six years to put Division Two leaders Durham in control on the opening day of the County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Encountering a flat pitch and batter-friendly weather for the first time this season, the visitors won the toss and ran up 393-9 by the close, thanks in large part to a superb partnership of 124 in 34.4 overs for the sixth wicket between Clark and Bas de Leede.

There was also a half-century for captain Scott Borthwick, while opener Alex Lees and in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Ollie Robinson contributed 41 and 40 respectively.

A Gloucestershire side deprived through injury of captain Graeme van Buuren, experienced strike bowler Merchant de Lange and leading wicket-taker Tom Price fought hard throughout, chipping away at the top and middle order and making Durham graft for their runs on a typically slow Bristol pitch.

Slow left-armer Zafar Gohar claimed 4-104 and seamer Ajeet Singh-Dale 2-73 as the hosts stuck to their task manfully.

But the visitors at last took control in the final session, Clark raising exactly 100 from 155 balls, with 13 fours and a six, and de Leede, making only his third first-class appearance, registering a Championship-best score of 65.

Dale accounted for Michael Jones in the third over after failing to offer a shot and losing his middle stump.

Gloucestershire were further rewarded when Lees, having crafted 41 from 64 balls, drove Josh Shaw to backward point where Zafar took a startling catch.

Having shared in a stand of 71 for the second wicket, Borthwick then added a further 63 in partnership with David Bedingham either side of lunch as Durham flourished.

But Gloucestershire stuck to their task and Borthwick, having assiduously avoided being tempted by the short ball, nevertheless fell into a carefully-laid trap, pulling Dale and succumbing to a brilliant catch by Miles Hammond at backward point for 53.

When Bedingham clipped Matt Taylor to mid-wicket in the next over, Durham were 149-4, their position of strength in serious danger of being eroded.

New batsmen Robinson and Clark attempted to wrest back control in a diligent alliance of 65 in 16 overs for the fifth wicket, only for the former to bottom edge a catch behind off Zafar and depart for 40 when a fourth half-century of the season appeared his for the taking.

Playing for only the second time this season, De Leede matched Clark blow for blow in a resilient innings that spanned 117 balls and included 11 fours.

The Dutchman was looking to become more expansive when he fell to the new ball in the last hour, stumped by stand-in Gloucestershire captain James Bracey off the bowling of Zafar.

Zafar recovered well after his first four overs went for 33 in the morning session, pinning Ben Raine lbw for two to lead a spirited fightback in the early-evening sunshine.

But the indomitable Clark still had the final say, working Zafar to square leg and punching the air before even he had completed the single which signalled his first century since 2017.

He was out next ball, trapped lbw by Zafar, and there was still time for Zaman Akhter to claim his first Championship wicket, Hammond taking a stunning diving catch at point to remove Matthew Potts without scoring.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.