County Championship: Ollie Robinson & Alex Lees hit tons as Durham punish Leicestershire

Alex Lees' century against Leicestershire was his first of this summer's County Championship

Centuries from Ollie Robinson and Alex Lees put Division Two leaders Durham in a commanding position at 422-4 after the opening day of their County Championship clash with third-placed Leicestershire.

Robinson, who finished unbeaten on 113, posted the third century of what is turning into an outstanding season following his move from Kent last winter.

The wicketkeeper shared an unbroken 201-run fifth-wicket stand with Graham Clark, who is 15 away from a ton of his own.

Earlier, openers Lees (101) and Michael Jones (78) laid the foundations with a first-wicket stand of 145 before Leicestershire, currently without a head coach after Paul Nixon was placed on gardening leave, were able to make any inroads with the Kookaburra ball.

Robinson, who completed back-to-back centuries after his second-innings 102 against Glamorgan earlier this month, moved from 50 to 100 in just 40 balls as a tiring home bowling attack was made to suffer on a flat pitch.

Former captains Callum Parkinson and Colin Ackermann were selected by Leicestershire against the side they will be joining next season and eventually combined to dismiss Lees, but only when Durham were in a dominant position.

Having won the toss and invited Leicestershire's bowlers to explore the Kookaburra experiment, Durham raced to 150-1 by lunch.

The pitch had a reasonable covering of grass, particularly on a full length, yet with a short boundary to one side Lees and Jones flew out of the traps with such purpose that, at 66 without loss after eight overs, spectators might have had pause to wonder if they were watching a T20 game.

Lees and Jones shared Durham's best opening partnership of the season before the latter, already with 14 fours and a six to his name, mistimed a ball from Ed Barnes that he flicked tamely to short mid-wicket, where Ackermann took a good catch.

Leicestershire made their second breakthrough soon after lunch when seamer Tom Scriven found the edge as Durham skipper Scott Borthwick prodded at one outside off stump.

Sussex-bound Chris Wright, playing in his 50th first-class match for Leicestershire, took his 160th wicket, reacting quickly to grab a return catch in his follow-through as David Bedingham's defensive push popped up.

And Parkinson, who had bowled eight overs without success in the morning, dismissed Lees towards the end of his second spell, the Durham left-hander ultimately reaching for a ball that turned just enough to find the edge and Ackermann took the catch low down at slip.

At tea Leicestershire had Durham 263-4, but in energy-sapping conditions the final session was hard work for the bowlers.

Clark hit Ackermann's off-spin for three consecutive fours before a fourth took him to a 70-ball half-century.

Robinson completed his from 103 deliveries just before the second new ball became available.

Leicestershire took it but the change served only to increase the speed at which the ball flew off the bat as seven of the 11 boundaries in Robinson's hundred came in the space of eight overs as he raced to another century.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.

Durham add two to squad

Durham boosted their side ahead of their clash with Leicestershire, signing Lancashire spinner Matthew Parkinson and overseas seamer Raymond Toole on short-term deals.

Parkinson re-joins until at least the end of July having already played one match on loan for the north-east county in April.

He replaces New Zealand international Ajaz Patel, whose time with the club has now come to an end.

The 26-year-old Parkinson, who is due to join Kent at the end of the season, is available for the County Championship and will still be considered for selection in Lancashire's remaining T20 Blast fixtures.

He lines up against his twin brother Callum, who will himself play for Durham next season.

Meanwhile Toole, who plays his domestic cricket in New Zealand for Central Districts, joins to cover absences in the fast bowling department.

The 25-year-old will cover for the injured Paul Coughlin, Brydon Carse and Ollie Gibson along with Matthew Potts, who is on England duty.

Durham are also with Warwickshire seamer Craig Miles, whose loan has been cut short after he suffered a hamstring tear in the Championship fixture against Durham.

Johannesburg-born Toole was the second highest wicket taker in the New Zealand first-class competition last season with 31, and has been playing in the north-east for Shotley Bridge.