Hampshire v Durham: Ali Orr makes century for hosts on day one

Ali Orr scored a maiden century for Hampshire to help guide his new county into a position of strength on the opening day of their County Championship match against Durham.

Opener Orr, who moved from boyhood club Sussex in the winter, made 126 for his first Championship hundred since September 2022 and his fifth in all.

He received good support from experienced duo James Vince (41) and Nick Gubbins (31), although neither were at their fluent best, before Tom Prest (65 not out) and Liam Dawson (33 not out) powered the home side to 336-4 at stumps.

Left-arm wrist spinner Callum Parkinson was the pick of the Durham attack, taking 3-110, but it was batters who were on top at the Utilita Bowl.

Orr has not had a smooth start to life at Hampshire but the 23-year-old’s innings against Durham showed exactly what had been promised when he signed.

He saw off the new ball with little worry after Vince had chosen to bat but he lost opening partner Fletcha Middleton with the score on 48 when Parkinson pinned back his middle stump with a big-turning googly.

Orr then added 86 runs with Gubbins before Parkinson struck again, Gubbins scooping the spinner straight up to Ollie Robinson.

Orr got stuck on 90 for almost half an hour but when he finally reached three figures, in 168 balls, he delivered a triumphant fist pump towards a cheering home balcony.

He departed with a tame plink to extra cover to give Australian veteran Peter Siddle his first scalp for his new county, before Vince edged behind to give Parkinson his third wicket.

Prest hit the ground running, sending four of his first 12 balls to the boundary before smashing his 13th for six, and put on an unbroken 81-stand with Dawson as Hampshire closed in on a third batting point.