Lancashire’s relegation fears intensified on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Durham at the Riverside. Ben Raine’s devastating spell of 4 for 23 from 18 overs left the visitors reeling at 177 for 6 after 78 overs.
Raine exploited the bowler-friendly conditions to dismantle Lancashire’s top order. Luke Wells fell to the first ball of the match, while Keaton Jennings was bowled for 9. Josh Bohannon and Matty Hurst provided some resistance, but Raine’s relentless accuracy and Potts’ 2 for 36 kept the pressure on.
Bohannon departed for 49, edging a catch to Ollie Robinson off Raine. George Bell and George Balderson also fell cheaply, leaving Hurst stranded on 74 not out. The Lancashire opener’s gritty innings, which included seven fours and a six, prevented further damage before the close.
Durham’s bowlers dominated the day, with Chemar Holder enduring a difficult debut, finishing with 0 for 53 from eight overs. The home side will be confident of securing a victory that would boost their own promotion hopes, while Lancashire face an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
