Jamie Hall

Joe Root stood firm with an unbeaten 75 to keep England's hopes alive in the second Test against New Zealand, as the hosts closed day four on 182-5 chasing a record 463.

Rehan Ahmed produced an all-round display of real quality as Leicestershire ended day one of their County Championship clash in a commanding position, trailing Yorkshire by just eight runs after dismissing the visitors for 185.

Lewis Goldsworthy produced a resilient 90 to give Somerset something to defend, but Warwickshire ended day one of their County Championship Division One clash at Taunton firmly in control at 92-2.

Ben Stokes appears to be closing in on a return to the England captaincy for the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, with the ECB investigation into his curfew breach nearing a conclusion.

Ricardo Vasconcelos produced a stunning unbeaten 181 to put Northamptonshire firmly in control against Durham on day one at Banks Homes Riverside, with Ben Stokes' much-anticipated return to county cricket yielding just a single wicket.

With England 352 runs adrift of New Zealand at The Oval, two of the country's most celebrated former captains are calling on Ben Stokes' side to shelve any ambitions of a run chase and bat for survival.

Henry Nicholls' unbeaten century has handed New Zealand an imposing 352-run lead with seven wickets remaining, leaving England facing a monumental challenge on day four at The Oval.

Durham chief executive Tim Bostock has pushed back firmly against concerns over Ben Stokes' wellbeing, insisting the England captain is in a positive frame of mind despite the ongoing fallout from a London nightclub incident.

England's second Test against New Zealand has taken a dramatic turn at The Kia Oval, with dropped catches from debutant James Rew and a commanding century from Henry Nicholls leaving the hosts in deep trouble heading into day four.

Emilio Gay ground out a composed half-century on day two of the second Test against New Zealand, only to gift his wicket away immediately after reaching the milestone in the most frustrating of fashions.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been named as a wildcard pick by Birmingham Phoenix, making her the first Pakistani woman ever to compete in The Hundred. The all-rounder joins ahead of the tournament's 21 July start.

Aaliyah Alleyne turned the Women's T20 World Cup match on its head with a stunning three-wicket 18th over, as West Indies edged past Scotland at Headingley.