Clark ton puts Durham in charge against Hampshire

Graham Clark's ton included 17 fours

Rothesay County Championship Division One, Utilita Bowl (day one)

Hampshire: Yet to bat

Durham 330-5: Clark 110*, Robinson 76, Drissell 58*; Abbott 3-49

Hampshire 1pt, Durham 2pts

Match scorecard

Graham Clark celebrated his fifth County Championship century with a pristine innings to put Durham in charge against Hampshire.

Batter Clark led Durham's run surge from a perilous 82-4 with partnerships of 124 with Ollie Robinson (76) and an unbroken 124 with George Drissell - who reached the close on 58 not out.

Clark - who had not reached three figures since 2023 - ended the day unbeaten on 110, with Durham following up their victory over Worcestershire by totting up 330-5 under the sun at Utilita Bowl.

Hampshire's Kyle Abbott was the star of the morning session, as his three wickets put the hosts on top, after Durham had chosen to bat first under perfect blue skies.

Emilio Gay – who returned from injury – had played with intent but his heavy hands cost him as he pushed away from his body and edged to second slip after a 16-ball 19.

Will Rhodes was more circumspect in his 22 but fell for Abbott's midwicket trap, as the South African bowled into the left-hander's ribs to produce a pull to the prowling Felix Organ.

Alex Lees had been the equal to Abbott in his first spell, but a change of ends and coming wider of the crease saw the bowler win the battle. The new angle exploited a gap between bat and pad to find a route into his stumps.

The 80-3 at lunch became 82-4 just 12 balls later as Colin Ackermann swished at Brad Wheal and was caught behind.

But a mixture of a softening ball, even hotter weather, and two batters who made batting look like child's play evened up the afternoon session.

Neither Robinson nor Clark ever seemed to actively attack the bowler, merely waiting for opportunities to keep a constant flow of runs.

Robinson mis-stepped when his swing across the line to Dawson saw him bowled, to end a 124-run stand, while Drissell survived an early drop.

But from there, Drissell stepped into Robinson's mould to build on Durham's growing advantage.

Drissell came out after tea with a pep in his shot-making – as he tried to make the most of the older ball before the 80-over mark. His towering six back over Dawson's head was the most sweetly-timed shot of the day.

He made his maiden County Championship half-century in exactly 100 balls, and the second new ball caused no issues for him and Robinson.

Clark then took centre-stage as he brought up his first ton since September 2025 – and his first in Division One – in 188 balls to underscore an impressive fightback from Durham.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay