Ben Stokes made a strong return to form for Durham in their County Championship match against Northamptonshire, narrowly missing out on a century. The England all-rounder scored 95 runs off 118 balls, featuring 18 boundaries, before being bowled by Harry Conway. His innings helped Durham reach 183 for three wickets by the close of play on the second day, responding to Northamptonshire’s total of 450.

Stokes’s performance came after he was dropped for the second Test at The Oval following an incident at a nightclub while celebrating England’s victory over New Zealand at Lord’s. The England captain had not reached a first-class hundred since last summer, making this near-century a significant step in regaining his previous form ahead of international fixtures.

Durham will look to build on Stokes’s contribution as they continue their reply to Northamptonshire’s substantial first innings score in this County Championship encounter.