England opening batting prospect Ben McKinney scored a big hundred on the opening day of the second round of the 2025 County Championship, boosting his claims for a Test place.
After two starts in the opening round last week, McKinney anchored Durham's innings in their first home game of the season against Warwickshire. They were in trouble early on when fellow opener Alex Lees fell for a duck in the first over, but McKinney built a 78-run stand with Emilion Gay to steady the ship. The third-wicket partnership he put on with David Beddingham was broken just short of a century, with Durham by that point on a much healthier 174-3.
Despite a burst of quick wickets where they lost 5-60, McKinney stayed firm at the top. He ws on 89* during the Tea interval, and was soon joined in the middle by Matt Potts. Despite Potts taking the strike for 59 of their next 74 balls together, McKinney reach his century with a boundary off his 186th ball at the crease.
AN OUTSTANDING BEN MCKINNEY 100!!
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) April 11, 2025
A second first-class century in Durham colours. 💙💛#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/Eam2YizWtw
It was his third first-class century, after he scored his maiden red-ball ton for Durham last season and a run-a-ball 110 in Australia for England Lions over the winter. He finished the day unbeaten on 143, with Potts still batting on 53, having secured Durham their second batting point of the day.
Still only 20 years old, McKinney is highly rated as a future England batter. Following McKinney's century for England Lions earlier this year, former England spinner Graeme Swann – who was part of the Lions coaching staff in Australia – backed McKinney to succeed at Test level in the near future.
Speaking to TALKsport, Swann said: "In my view he could easily walk into Test cricket now and do a really good job... There's not a single downside to him."
McKinney's century today was in contrast to tricky outings for two England incumbents. Zak Crawley was out for a four-ball duck in Kent's second outing of the season. That's the third failure for Crawley in three innings after he was bowled for 1 last week on the opening day of the season, coming off the back of a difficult winter. Ollie Pope also fell cheaply at The Oval, nicking to second slip to leave Surrey two down at the end of the ninth over of the day.
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