| Vitality County Championship Division One, Edgbaston (day two) |
| Warwickshire 698-3 dec: Davies 256, Yates 191, Rhodes 178* |
| Durham 178-3: Lees 94* |
| Durham (0 pts) trail Warwickshire (6 pts) by 520 runs |
Warwickshire piled up the second-highest total in their history to put Durham under serious pressure in their County Championship Division One game at Edgbaston.
The home side, led by Alex Davies’ maiden double-century, amassed a mammoth 698-3 declared to leave Durham needing 549 even to avoid the follow on.
The visitors closed the second day on 178-3 with Alex Lees, unbeaten on 94, leading the resistance but with a huge amount of work still to do to dig his side out of trouble.
Warwickshire captain Davies amassed 256, his maiden double century, from 311 balls while Rob Yates (191 on the opening day) and Will Rhodes (178 not out) also filled their boots.
Debutant Callum Parkinson delivered the most expensive analysis by a Durham bowler in first-class cricket with 2-206.
Warwickshire resumed on the second morning on 490-1 and former Lancashire opener Davies advanced implacably onwards and it was a surprise when, after 445 minutes at the crease in which he struck 28 fours and three sixes, he was beaten in defence and bowled by Parkinson.
The spinner then made it two wickets in three balls when he produced a beauty to bowl Ed Barnard.
Dan Mousley hoisted his third ball into the crowd at the City End for six and settled in alongside the relentless Rhodes to add an unbroken 132 in 22 overs before the declaration arrived half an hour into the afternoon session.
Warwickshire’s total trails only their 810-4 declared in 1994 when West Indies legend Brian Lara made an unbeaten world record 501 – against Durham at Edgbaston.
This pitch continued to offer the bowlers little but, after Durham eased to 42 without loss, Warwickshire’s seamers manage to prise two superb deliveries from it in nine balls.
Scott Borthwick edged a brute of a lifter from Olly Hannon-Dalby behind and Colin Ackermann nicked a perfectly-shaped outswinger from Craig Miles.
Lees and David Bedingham knuckled down to add 94 in 25 overs before off-spinner Yates had Bedingham (49) caught at short mid-wicket.
Lees’ concentration remained absolute and, with Ollie Robinson, saw out the last 16 overs.
