County Championship: Alex Lees makes 195 as Durham lead Gloucestershire

LV= County Championship Division Two, Seat Single Riverside ( second day) Gloucestershire 316: Dent 85; Parkinson 3-59 Durham 433-8: Lees 195, Clark 82; Goodman 3-69 Durham (7 pts) leads Gloucestershire (4 pts) by 117 points Match scorecard

Lees anchored the innings with a clear shot of 195, posting his best score as a only player for Durham since moving to Seat Unique Riverside in 2018. Graham Clark provided the perfect complement with 82 as the two shared a stand worth 195 after the hosts were reduced to 109-4 in response to 316 of Gloucestershire.

Both batters rebuilt the innings and propelled Durham into the lead after jostling the visitors tail in the first half hour of the second day. This allowed Brydon Carse to start late in the day to push the hosts into a 117 run lead at the end with two first inning wickets remaining.

Resuming on 280-6, Gloucestershire put his foot down before the arrival of the new ball. Zafar Gohar broke three bounds on Carse's first shot, while Josh Shaw cleared the rope with a huge long-range strike against Parkinson to earn a second bonus point at bat.

Durham responded with fire with fire as Carse responded with a hostile spell to make the breakthrough. Shaw could only glove behind Robinson on the side of the leg and the next ball was too good for Matt Taylor. Zaman Akhter survived the hat-trick ball and another barrage from Carse before the new ball arrived.

Ben Raine then wrapped up the innings in three deliveries with the new Kookaburra in hand by playing Gohar and pinning Dominic Goodman lbw, guaranteeing maximum bowling points for the hosts.

Shaw made quick inroads for the visitors to eliminate Michael Jones, but Lees responded by taking the attack in Gloucestershire bowlers. The split on the left...