County Championship: Stokes takes five-for but Durham face huge target

Durham’s Ben Stokes took five second-innings wickets for 98 runs but Keaton Jennings’ second century of the match ensured Lancashire go into the final day as favourites to claim their first County Championship win of the season.

Jennings was dismissed by Stokes but only after making 155 in his side’s 353-9 declared, setting his former side what would be a county record fourth-innings score of 475 to win.

Durham’s pursuit was damaged by Tom Aspinwall, who took two wickets in seven balls, and the visitors ended the day 134-3.

Lancashire only scored nine runs in the opening eleven overs for the loss of nightwatchman Will Williams, who was lbw to Ben Raine for one and Jennings took 54 balls to score the 12 runs he needed for his half-century.

Stokes trapped George Bell lbw for 17 and but the England captain’s initial six-over spell cost 36 as Jennings and Tom Bruce sought to accelerate.

Having scored 33 runs off 16 overs in the first hour, Lancashire added another 82 off 15 in the second and Jennings reached his century off Paul Coughlin’s last ball before lunch.

Jennings and Bruce had taken their fifth-wicket partnership to exactly 100 when Bruce was caught behind by Robinson for 43.

Stokes returned to the attack and had George Balderson caught behind for 17 before he eventually had Jennings pouched at mid-off by Scott Borthwick.

The England captain also dismissed Aspinwall to finish with 5-98 and Jennings declared when Lancashire’s ninth wicket fell just before tea.

Borthwick and Alex Lees put on 83 in 16 overs but Aspinwall then struck twice in his first seven balls.

He had Lees well caught by Matty Hurst for 40 and then bowled Colin Ackermann for a five-ball duck.

Borthwick was bowled by Nathan Lyon for 39 and Durham ended the day still 341 runs short with David Bedingham unbeaten on 31.