Stokes takes 6-94, his best in nine years, as Durham-Worcestershire stays tight

Ben Stokes took 6 for 94 for Durham against Worcestershire. It is his best bowling return in nine years.

The England captain did it at Banks Homes Riverside, Chester-le-Street, in Rothesay County Championship Division Two. It was also his first five-wicket haul — five wickets in a single innings — in first-class cricket at his home ground since 2014, according to BBC Sport.

First-class here means the long-form county game, played over up to four days with two innings per side. Durham and Worcestershire traded big first-innings totals. Worcestershire made 458. Durham replied with 465.

Worcestershire built through Adam Hose, who made 105. He and Brett D'Oliveira had pushed the visitors to 270 for 5, with Hose on 89 and D'Oliveira on 82. Matthew Potts had 2 for 50 at that stage.

Durham answered with weight at the top. Mayank Agarwal scored 177 in the first innings. Ollie Robinson made 97 as Durham edged a seven-run lead. Durham had been 437 for 7 at one point, with Agarwal on 177 and Robinson on 78 not out.

The game then tightened sharply. Durham slipped to 161 for 6 in their second innings, leading by only 178 runs with four wickets intact.

Worcestershire did the damage. They reduced Durham to 119 for 6 before Robinson and Kasey Aldridge added 42 to steady the innings. Stokes fell for 12, caught on the cover boundary off 22-year-old George O'Connor. O'Connor was making his first-class debut for Worcestershire as a substitute for Ben Gibbon.

For Stokes, the setting matters. His previous Durham home appearance came against the same opponents in June 2024, when he claimed three wickets and scored a half-century. He returned to county action in May this year after a facial injury, taking the new ball — the fresh, hard ball used at the start of an innings — and striking after eight balls at New Road.

That comeback brought 2 for 40 from 14 overs. Durham won that May meeting by nine wickets. This September return has been longer and harder. He bowled through long spells for his six wickets.

What makes this stand out is the control. Six wickets for 94 runs is heavy work in Division Two in September, when pitches can flatten out. For fans, this means a proper fourth-innings chase is on. Durham hold a small lead. Worcestershire stay in the game.