McKinney Century Leads Durham vs Essex in Relegation Clash

Durham Build Strong Platform at Chelmsford

Ben McKinney’s elegant 121 helped Durham gain the upper hand against Essex on a sunlit day at Chelmsford, as the visitors closed on 316 for 8 in their fight to avoid Division One relegation. The 20-year-old left-hander struck 18 fours and two sixes in a 228-ball innings, combining with captain Alex Lees, who scored 94, for a 134-run second-wicket partnership.

β€œπ‘΄π’„π‘²π’Šπ’π’π’†π’šβ€™π’” π’•π’†π’™π’•π’ƒπ’π’π’Œ π’”π’•π’“π’π’Œπ’†π’‘π’π’‚π’š 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’„π’‚π’π’Ž π’•π’†π’Žπ’‘π’†π’“π’‚π’Žπ’†π’π’• 𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 π‘«π’–π’“π’‰π’‚π’Žβ€™π’” π’Šπ’π’π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’”, π’ˆπ’Šπ’—π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’•π’‰π’†π’Ž 𝒂 π’”π’π’π’Šπ’… π’‘π’π’‚π’•π’‡π’π’“π’Ž π’Šπ’ 𝒂 π’„π’“π’–π’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π’“π’†π’π’†π’ˆπ’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆.”

Durham’s start looked promising on a green-tinged wicket, with Lees and McKinney punishing anything loose. Lees, initially in an anchoring role, reached his half-century first, while McKinney soon followed with his own, demonstrating more aggression with crisp drives and elegant placement.

Essex Fight Back Late in the Day

The Essex attack eventually fought back, led by Jamie Porter, who took three wickets in five balls, including McKinney’s dismissal, triggering a mini-collapse that saw Durham fall from 240 for 3 to 291 for 8 in 22 overs. Porter finished with 3 for 63, while Doug Bracewell supported with 2 for 67.

Earlier, McKinney survived a near-catch off Simon Harmer at 83, and celebrated reaching his century with a boundary and a six in successive balls, frustrating the Essex fielders. Essex also made breakthroughs with Shane Snater and Bracewell, removing Colin Ackermann and Ollie Robinson, while Porter struck again after a change of the new ball to bowl McKinney and trap Ben Raine lbw.

β€œπ‘·π’π’“π’•π’†π’“β€™π’” 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒕 π’“π’†π’Žπ’Šπ’π’…π’†π’… π‘«π’–π’“π’‰π’‚π’Ž 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 π’Šπ’”π’β€™π’• 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 π’šπ’†π’•, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π‘΄π’„π‘²π’Šπ’π’π’†π’šβ€™π’” π’Šπ’π’π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” 𝒉𝒂𝒔 π’ˆπ’Šπ’—π’†π’ π’•π’‰π’†π’Ž 𝒂 π’„π’“π’–π’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π’†π’…π’ˆπ’† π’‰π’†π’‚π’…π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Šπ’π’•π’ π’…π’‚π’š π’•π’˜π’.”

Durham ended day one with a commanding platform, leaving Essex with plenty to do in the second innings to claw back control in this relegation fight.

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