Read Vithushan Ehantharajah later on Ben Duckett. Unbtil then here is Alex Winter from the ECB Reporters Network
Ben Duckett rediscovered his best form with an imperious 193 as Northamptonshire dominated the opening day of an important Specsavers County Championship against Sussex at Wantage Road. Having been sent into bat, the home side racked up 329 for 5 in 75 overs.
Duckett is playing catch-up after a poor first-half to the season but here looked somewhere back to the form he showed last season when many attack was totally dominated. This was his third century of the season and they have all come in the last four matches. He also followed his unbeaten 282 against Sussex last season.
Northants were pleased to have him back after a broken finger kept him out of the defeat at Nottinghamshire. Sussex bowled poorly to him in the first hour, allowing him to settle with runs off his legs. He began to find his fluency and passed fifty in 70 balls with six boundaries.
He was a little loose trying to drive past extra cover but looked more comfortable pressing through mid-on and also got a trademark late cut away - very much a sign he is seeing the ball well. He survived a run-out opportunity to Angus Robson at point and a mistimed pull fell short of deep-square leg running off the boundary before taking tea 84 not out.
After the break, another on-drive took him into the 90s before he toe-ended a hook against Chris Jordan over the head of first slip. But a repeat stroke to a ball not as short found the midwicket fence to raise a century in 128 balls.
Then came a incredible period of cricket as Jofra Archer - the leading wicket-taker in the County Championship - began a new spell and was promptly taken for 14 in the over by Duckett. Archer was none-too-impressed and offered a few thoughts to the batsman - who responded in the next over with a flick through mid-on and a pull over the bowler’s head for four more. It was gripping stuff and a battle comprehensively won by Duckett.
He eventually fell just seven short of double century, chipping a catch back to the left-arm spin of Danny Briggs.
Earlier in the day, Duckett shared an opening stand of 91 with Rob Newton who began brightly with two splendid cover drives off Jordan before being reined in by David Wiese and eventually dragged a length ball into his middle-and-leg stumps playing defensively.
Alex Wakely fell soon after, losing control of a hook stroke and edging Ollie Robinson to long leg - a careless dismissal for just 10. Richard Levi fell in a similar manner - perhaps even more carelessly so after making 44 including two crashing boundaries through the covers and slapping Briggs over mid-on.
Levi and Duckett shared a stand of 96 for the fourth wicket before debutant Luke Procter - only loan from Lancashire for the final month of the season, steered Northants to the close with fellow on-loan Lancastrian Simon Kerrigan who arrived as nightwatchman and was lbw to Briggs in the final over of the day.