Jewell shines brightly with career-best double ton

Caleb Jewell is being touted as the recruit of the county season after pumping out a career-best 232 for Derbyshire overnight. 

Jewell began day two on 152 not out after reaching his first century of the season and continued to put the Kent bowling attack to the sword as he hit his way to 232 from 361 deliveries. 

The 28-year-old's epic knock comes after a strong, but frustrating start to the English summer, where the opener has passed 50 five times without reaching double figures. 

And the Tasmanian said bringing up the maiden county century had been on the agenda in discussions with coach Mickey Arthur during the week. 

"It was a long time coming. It was something on my mind for a while so it was nice to make the most of it once I got there," Jewell said after play on day two. 

"I spoke to Mickey (Arthur) quite a bit about it, it was annoying me that I couldn’t quite get there.

"It was a bit slower than my previous innings, a bit of a grind, so it was nice to show that I can do that as well."

Jewell's innings had fans on social media singing his praises, with his output already exceeding their expectations.  

He was eventually bowled, trying to smack a big one off Jack Leaning over mid-wicket, having amassed the highest score ever by a Derbyshire batter against Kent in 151 years of the fixture.

The double-hundred has taken his championship tally to 693 runs, the second-highest by any batter in division two this season, with Lancashire's Marcus Harris still out on his own on 805.

At Northampton, Gloucestershire captain Cameron Bancroft looked on his way to a second hundred of the summer before he was disappointed to get out in soft fashion for 60, caught behind down the legside trying to flick Northamptonshire's fellow Australian Harry Conway away.  

Replying to Northamptonshire's 469, led by Saif Zaib's 159, Bancroft's dismissal left Cameron Green (3no) having to lead another rescue act with Gloucester on 4-156.

Green's fellow Australian allrounder Beau Webster looked encouragingly sharp with the World Test final looming as he took 2-19 off his 7.1 overs for Warwickshire against Worcestershire in a low-scoring affair at New Road.

Matthew Kuhnemann took a wicket on debut for Glamorgan, finishing day two against Middlesex with 1-22 from eight overs. 

Leicestershire captain Peter Handscomb (9) had a rare low score as the Foxes took a big first-innings lead of 251 against Marcus Harris' Lancashire. 

Australians in County Cricket for 2025

Derbyshire: Caleb Jewell

Durham: Brendan Doggett (April-May)

Essex: Maddie Penna (T20 Blast only)

Glamorgan: Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne

Gloucestershire: Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green (April-May)

Hampshire: Ellyse Perry (July), Charli Knott (April-July), Jack Edwards (April-May)

Kent: Wes Agar, Tom Rogers (T20 Blast only)

Lancashire: Chris Green (June-July), Marcus Harris, Ashton Turner (June-July), Alana King (June-July), Katie Mack (April-June)

Leicestershire: Peter Handscomb

Northamptonshire: Lloyd Pope (T20 Blast only), Liam Guthrie (local player), Harry Conway (May)

Nottinghamshire: Moises Henriques (T20 Blast only), Fergus O'Neill (until April 28), Daniel Sams (T20 Blast only), Heather Graham (May-July)

Somerset: Riley Meredith, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Surrey: Grace Harris (T20 Blast only), Kurtis Patterson (May)

Sussex: Daniel Hughes, Nathan McAndrew (June-July), Gurinder Sandhu (June-July)

Warwickshire: Beau Webster

Worcestershire: Ben Dwarshuis (T20 Blast only)

Yorkshire: Will Sutherland (T20 Blast + 2 County), Jordan Buckingham (four matches in May)