England opener Zak Crawley’s miserable run of form with the bat continued into the 2025 Rothesay County Championship as he was bowled out for one for Kent on the opening day of the season.
Crawley’s stay at the crease lasted just seven balls before he was bowled by left-arm seamer Liam Guthrie when attempting to drive a fuller ball swinging back into him.
Zak Crawley followed up a disappointing winter with England with another low score in Kent’s 2025 season opener
The England opener is under pressure after a run of 15 Tests without a century, with the 27-year-old averaging only 8.66 over his six innings on the winter Test tour of New Zealand. He then registered five single-figure scores when playing in eight appearances for Eastern Cape in the SA20 competition in January.
Northamptonshire ultimately bowled Kent out for 231 on day one of their Division Two clash, Raphael Weatherall taking 3-32 for the hosts, while Tawanda Muyeye top-scored with 72 for Kent.
In Division One, newly-promoted Yorkshire were skittled for a measly 121 on the opening day of their match against Hampshire.
Former England batter, and now Yorkshire captain, Jonny Bairstow managed only 10 in his side’s total, with Hampshire left-arm spinner Liam Dawson – capped 20 times across all three formats – ripping through the lower order when taking 3-8 in only 4.4 overs.
Essex batter Jordan Cox gave the England selectors another reminder with a century as champions Surrey were made to toil.
Cox’s ninth first-class century and fifth inside a year – a quickfire 117 from 148 balls – helped Essex close on 355-4 at Chelmsford and overshadowed opener Paul Walter’s 95.
A Surrey pace attack devoid of Gus Atkinson, Dan Worrall and Tom Lawes was given some respite as Kemar Roach took two for 54 from 18 overs.
Colin Ackermann posted the first century of the season as Durham recovered to 370-9 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Australian pace bowler Fergus O’Neill took four for 74 on his debut for the home side, but Ackermann stole the show on his 34th birthday by making 116 as Durham battled back from 171-5.
Somerset all-rounder Kasey Aldridge claimed five wickets in a Worcestershire batting collapse at Taunton, where the home side lead by 33 runs with six wickets remaining.
Worcestershire began strongly, reaching 102-1, but were bundled out for 154, with seamer Aldridge taking 5-36 from eight overs.
Somerset stumbled to 39 for three in reply before closing on 187-4, with Tom Banton is unbeaten on 84.
Sussex recovered from 40-3 to close on 386-5 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston thanks to centuries from Tom Clark and John Simpson.
Clark struck 140 and Simpson made an unbeaten 116, sharing a 200-run partnership for the fifth wicket after Warwickshire debutant Ethan Bamber (3-75) had made an early impact.
Derbyshire made a strong start in Division Two thanks to a six-wicket haul from Luis Reece (6-52) and Anuj Dal’s four for 38 against Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire were bowled out for 222 shortly after tea, Graeme van Buuren top-scoring with 67 before Derbyshire closed on 127-2.
Leicestershire took control against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens, bowling the hosts out for 229 – Ian Holland and Ben Mike took three wickets each – before reaching 65 for one in reply.
Lancashire made a promising start in their bid to bounce straight back to Division One in the absence of the injured James Anderson, bowling Middlesex out for 260 before replying with 68 without loss.
Lancashire’s rookie seamers Tom Aspinwall (4-32) and debutant Ollie Sutton (2-57) impressed as Middlesex collapsed from 215-3 before the visitors cut the deficit to 192 with 10 wickets remaining.
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