Back-to-back tons for brilliant Bancroft

Ashes contender Cameron Bancroft has continued his red-hot form for Durham in England’s One-Day Cup competition, hammering his second consecutive century.

The captain blasted an unbeaten 118 from 117 balls at No.4 to spearhead his team’s six-wicket triumph over Leicestershire.

Bancroft’s knock featured 12 boundaries and two sixes and backed up his 151 not out in Durham’s opening one-day fixture of the season.

The innings helped Durham secured victory with 27 balls to spare as they reached 4-234 in response to Leicestershire’s 9-233.

"Signing him, there was a lot of speculation," teammate James Franklin said of Bancroft.

"But I think he's certainly put that to rest with his two performances. He's been a leader of this team coming out, two match-winning hundreds.

“That’s what you want from your captain, to lead from the front, and he’s certainly done that the first two games.”

The northeast English county’s decision last month to install Bancroft as captain attracted some criticism.

Durham chief executive Tim Bostock insisted Bancroft was “the best available option” and his performances so far have justified the faith.

Bancroft was banned for nine months for his role in the ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in Cape Town last March, while former Australia captain Steve Smith and ex-deputy David Warner received 12-month suspensions. 

Bancroft's ban was lifted in December, allowing him to play for Perth Scorchers in the KFC BBL and Western Australia in the JLT Sheffield Shield.

He returned 298 runs at 33.11, including two fifties in the BBL, before making 392 runs at 56 from four Shield matches for WA.

The 26-year-old has an average of 30.92 from eight Tests at the top of the order, with a best score of 82 not out.

Elsewhere, paceman James Pattinson collected 5-61 from 10 overs in Nottinghamshire’s 11-run win over Glenn Maxwell’s Lancashire.

Notts posted an imposing 7-417 from their 50 overs before the visitors finished 9-406 in a high-scoring match.

Maxwell contributed 21 from 17 balls at No.4.