England stars fire ahead of exciting Test summer

England Test batter Ollie Pope has fallen seven runs short of a career-best first-class score, but his innings of 245 at The Oval helped Surrey take the upper hand over Leicestershire in their County Championship match.

Joe Root was another England batsman in fine nick on Saturday as scored a ton for Yorkshire against Kent in Canterbury.

Several of England’s big names are currently taking part in the Indian Premier League, but others are turning up with their county sides ahead of a busy Test summer that includes two Tests against New Zealand in early June and a five-Test series against India in August and September.

The stand out performer of the weekend has been Pope, who resumed on day three unbeaten on 92 and looked in imperious form on his way to another double hundred in a knock that lasted 272 balls before he was stumped in search of a 31st boundary.

Pope, who top scored with 34 during a difficult winter tour of India, was able to celebrate a three-figure knock for the first time since he hit a maiden Test century away to South Africa in January last year.

Fellow academy graduate Jamie Stuart joined him in the hundred club with three sixes in an excellent 123, which saw Surrey declare on 8-672 to leave Leicestershire needing to bat out the final day for a draw.

England captain Root scored 101 to help Yorkshire set Kent an improbable target of 445 to win their Group Two encounter in Canterbury.

Opener Adam Lyth (116) also hit a century while Root's breezy innings was brought to its conclusion by the part-time spin of Joe Denly, who finished with 2-61.

After Yorkshire declared on 5-330, Kent lost two wickets – including Test opener Zak Crawley for his second single-figure score of the match – to close on 2-33.

Bob Willis Trophy holders Essex have taken their Group One fixture with Durham into the final day and could pull off an unexpected win after they set 168 for victory.

Half-centuries from Paul Walter (77) and Ben Allison (52) got the hosts up to 330 in their second innings at Chelmsford, in spite of Brydon Carse's five-wicket haul, and the visitors ended on 3-60 to set up a dramatic finale.

Elsewhere in Group One, Warwickshire need a further 248 with seven wickets in hand at Trent Bridge after Stuart Broad helped restrict them to 3-85 at the close. The England veteran has figures of 1-17 from 10 overs having taken 3-50 in the first innings.