Head stumbles again as batters struggle in county action

Travis Head's wobbly start to his stint with UK county side Sussex has continued, with the left-hander dismissed for a four-ball duck against Northamptonshire.

Having been caught in the cordon for just 1 on the opening day, Head edged left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan to slip without scoring on Friday as Sussex finished the day on 4-142 in their second innings, a lead of 61.

In three games since arriving from Australia, Head has posted scores of 9, 8, 20, 1 and 0, an average of 7.6.

Head dominated the Marsh Sheffield Shield last summer with nearly 900 runs in seven games but failed to make the same impact in three Tests against India and lost his spot for the series decider at the Gabba.

His inclusion for the (subsequently cancelled) Test tour of South Africa did highlight, however, that he remains in selectors' thinking, although he was overlooked for one of the 17 Cricket Australia national men's contracts handed out last month.

Former Test skipper Ricky Ponting believes Head remains in the frame for an Ashes berth this summer but is likely battling Marcus Harris and Moises Henriques for a spot in the top six.

"I think Travis will play some more (Test cricket). I think that's probably his slot in the middle order now, so let's hope he can make the most of it," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"He went back to Shield cricket and really started filling his boots and making big scores – that's what you want to see from those guys, the hunger to get themselves back in the Australian team."

Head is not the only Australian batsman to struggle early in the county season; Marnus Labuschagne's highest score from six innings with Glamorgan has been 12, while Peter Handscomb had eight scores of 25 or less to start his stint with Middlesex.

Handscomb, who made a drought-breaking 70 against Surrey last week, made 26 against Leicestershire on Thursday and is set to bat again on Saturday.

Left-hander Harris made a century for Leicestershire earlier this month but could only manage 3 against Middlesex on Friday.

There was better news on a batting front for fast-bowling allrounder Sean Abbott, who clubbed two sixes in his innings of 40 on debut for Surrey against Gloucestershire.

A score of 173 from South African veteran Hashim Amla guided Surrey to a total of 473, with Australian Dan Worrall (0-68) unable to get a breakthrough for Gloucestershire.

Having dismissed countryman Cameron Bancroft for 20 on Thursday, veteran Peter Siddle finished with figures of 3-29 as Durham were bowled out for just 99, with Siddle's Essex side taking a 346-run lead to stumps on day two.