Jewell sparkles on Derbyshire debut, Banton belts record

_{Main image credit: Derbyshire CCC}

Tasmanian batter Caleb Jewell has become an instant hit on the county cricket scene, marking his Derbyshire debut with a second quick-fire half-century to guide them to a season-opening county championship triumph over Gloucestershire.

In front of his appreciative new audience at Derby's County Ground, the 27-year-old left-hander had made an ideal first impression in his first innings, as he raced to 61 off 48 balls to help them breeze past the visitors' first innings total.

And asked to mop up the victory on Sunday's penultimate day after Luis Reece's match haul of 10 wickets had left Derbyshire needing just 91 to win, Jewell wasted no time to ensure they got to their target within 20 overs for the loss of just one wicket as he flayed six boundaries in his unbeaten 48-ball 51.

Another Australian newcomer to the championship Fergus O'Neill, the Sheffield Shield's player of the season, has an opportunity to complete an eye-opening county debut of his own when he seeks to bowl Nottinghamshire to victory over Durham on Monday's final day.

O'Neill, who'd taken 5-81 in the first innings, struck twice in three balls early in Durham's second innings as they sought to wipe out a 201-run deficit following Nottinghamshire's compilation of a massive 579, which featured a ton from allrounder Lyndon James.

The Victoria quick's new-ball spell in the evening session left Durham tottering on 2-29 as, first, he trapped skipper Alex Lees lbw and then dismissed Emilio Gay for a duck for the second time in the match, this time by sending his off-stump cartwheeling.

He ended the day with figures of 2-29 off his eight overs as Durham finished on 3-114, still 87 in arrears.

County Championship scores: Division One

County Championship scores: Division Two

Darren Lehmann's bow as Northamptonshire coach ended in a comprehensive 145-run defeat by Kent at Northampton, with his side skittled out for just 114 in 35.4 overs.

Liam Guthrie made a good impression on debut for Northants, though, the Aussie with a UK passport having bowled England opener Zak Crawley on the first day and ending up with three wickets in the match.

The most extraordinary feat in the opening round of matches has come from Somerset's Tom Banton, who registered the fifth highest score in the history of the county championship when he was dismissed for 371 against Worcestershire at Taunton.

Unbeaten on 344 overnight, having beaten Justin Langer's county record of 342, the 26-year-old England white-ball international ended up with 56 fours and two sixes off 403 balls before his wicket prompted Somerset to declare their first innings on 7-670, leading by 516.

Worcestershire battled to 5-280 by the close, but were still 236 behind.

Leicestershire, under their Australian skipper Peter Handscomb, sealed a comfortable three-day, 10-wicket win despite a century from Glamorgan's Kiran Carlson.

Australians in County Cricket for 2025

Derbyshire: Caleb Jewell

Durham: Brendan Doggett (April-May)

Gloucestershire: Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green (April-May)

Hampshire: Jack Edwards (April-May), Charli Knott (April-July)

Kent: Wes Agar, Tom Rogers (T20 Blast only)

Lancashire: Chris Green, Marcus Harris

Leicestershire: Peter Handscomb

Northamptonshire: Ashton Agar (T20 Blast only), Liam Guthrie (local player)

Nottinghamshire: Moises Henriques (T20 Blast only), Fergus O'Neill (until April 28), Daniel Sams (T20 Blast only), Heather Graham (May-July)

Somerset: Riley Meredith, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Surrey: Grace Harris (T20 Blast only)

Sussex: Daniel Hughes, Gurinder Sandhu (June-July)

Warwickshire: Beau Webster

Worcestershire: Ben Dwarshuis (T20 Blast only)

Yorkshire: Will Sutherland (T20 Blast + 2 County), Jordan Buckingham (four matches in May)