Ashes hopefuls in the runs as Aussie quicks dominate

Cameron Bancroft and Peter Handscomb's push for a spot in Australia's Ashes squad is off to a solid start with both batters in the runs on day two of their opening round county fixtures.

Bancroft's Somerset finally got underway in their clash against Warwickshire in Taunton after the opening day was abandoned due to a wet outfield caused by heavy overnight rain.

The West Australian – who topped the Marsh Sheffield Shield run-scorers chart last season with 945 at 59 – came in at No.3 after Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory elected to bat first.

While typically a red-ball opener, Bancroft is not unfamiliar at first drop having occupied the position during WA's 2022-23 Marsh One-Day Cup title-winning campaign.

The 30-year-old – who national selector George Bailey said this week was batting "as well as he's ever seen" – continued his fine touch from the Shield season with five boundaries in his 104-ball 44 before chasing a wide delivery from Warwickshire's Chris Rushworth.

Somerset finished the day 8-269 in their first innings with veteran quick Peter Siddle yet to bat.

At Headingley, incumbent Test No.5 Peter Handscomb proved immovable for Leicestershire in response to Yorkshire's 517, which had featured a sumptuous 132 from England white-ball star Dawid Malan.

Handscomb led the resistance along with Dutch-South African international Colin Ackermann as the pair shared a 121-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Handscomb – who played for Yorkshire in 2017 – was dropped at slip on 41 and went to stumps unbeaten on 62 from 123 balls in an innings that lasted more than three hours as Leicester reached 5-201.

Meanwhile, Sean Abbott looked like a man determined to make up for lost time, kicking off his latest stint at Surrey with a sensational all-round performance in the first innings, with a crucial 42 runs, four wickets and two sharp catches against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

The 31-year-old – who has signed a deal with the Oval-based county team until the end of July – had no luck in his first spell at Surrey, lasting just one match before a muscle injury curtailed his time there two years ago.

But on Friday, Abbott provided a reminder of why the county's director of cricket Alec Stewart felt he was worth persevering with.

Batting at No.9, the NSW allrounder took his overnight score to 42 – featuring five fours and a six – in a valuable contribution to Surrey's total of 442.

In Lancashire's reply, Abbott had a hand in the first three wickets to fall, getting rid of Luke Wells and Steve Croft, while in between taking a catch at short cover to see the back of Josh Bohannon.

Two more wickets later in the innings helped reduce the home side to 8-233 by the close, with Abbott ending with figures of 4-42, while former South Australian quick Daniel Worrall had 1-71.

Abbott wasn't the only Australian to shine in an allrounder role on the second day of the County Championship season as Nathan McAndrew continued to flourish for Sussex on debut, taking 5-85 at Hove as Durham reached 376.

Image Id: 9AEAEE63D4FE4B55980AF5C72D6F41FB Image Caption: Nathan McAndrew claims his fifth wicket of Matthew Potts for 8 // Getty

In reply, the home side were indebted to India captain Cheteshwar Pujara for a typically patient 115 before McAndrew, coming in at No.8, went on a late counter-attack to make an unbeaten 36, which featured two sixes to push Sussex to 9-332 by stumps.

Aussie Test spinner Matt Kuhnemann took two of those wickets from his 23 overs on debut for Durham.

Abbott's NSW teammate, Chris Tremain, was also in the wickets, kickstarting his county career with a five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire against Kent.

Tremain (5-44) and Jack White (4-57) combined for nine wickets as Kent were bowled out for 222 at Canterbury – a lead of 105 – before reducing the visitors to 2-47 by the close of play.

And at Lord's, Middlesex lost four wickets before a batter scored a run, slipping to 4-4 in response to Essex's 266 with no balls the only contributor.

Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones (7-61) had a day out before Jamie Porter (6-35) was the chief destroyer for Essex as they bowled the hosts out for 170 just before stumps.

Image Id: E5B4CAA906AA437E8A7C3013098E244D Image Caption: The scoreboard at Lord's as Middlesex fell to 4-4 without a batter scoring a run // Getty

Australians in the County Championship 

Durham: Matthew Kuhnemann

Essex: Daniel Sams (T20s only)

Glamorgan: Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser

Gloucestershire: Marcus Harris

Hampshire: Nathan Ellis, Ben McDermott (both T20s only)

Kent: Kane Richardson (T20s)

Leicestershire: Peter Handscomb (April and May)

Northamptonshire: Lance Morris (May 4-21), Chris Tremain (April 6-23), Sam Whiteman (until August), Chris Lynn (T20s), Andrew Tye (T20s)

Somerset: Peter Siddle (until July), Cameron Bancroft (until May 7)

Surrey: Sean Abbott (until July), Dan Worrall (UK passport)

Sussex: Nathan McAndrew (until July), Steve Smith (May 4-21)

Warwickshire: Glenn Maxwell (T20s)

Yorkshire: Mickey Edwards (UK passport)