Watch: Ben Stokes picked up his first County Championship wicket in two years, bouncing out Josh Bohannon against Lancashire on Friday (May 17) before dismissing Tom Bruce.
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Stokes, who last played a County Championship game in May 2022, made a comeback to domestic first-class cricket with the wicket of Bohannon while playing for Durham in Blackpool.
The England captain, whose bowling has been affected in the recent past due to a lingering knee issue, was the first change bowler for Durham following the new-ball pair of Ben Raine and Matthew Potts. Stokes did not have the greatest start, conceding 26 runs in his first four overs but gave away just 28 from his next nine overs, which also included the wicket of Lancashire’s No.3 Bohannon for a 75-ball 39.
Stokes bowled a short ball, which the batter ended up hitting to deep backward square leg as he picked up his first Championship wicket in two years. He picked up another wicket later in the day, dismissing Bruce with a catch off his own bowling for 46 in the 79th over of the innings.
Lancashire were reduced to 310-8 in 86 overs with Raine and Potts also picking up two wickets each.
Watch Ben Stokes get a county wicket here:
A first wicket of the summer for Ben Stokes!! 💪#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/0cqjPuLW1w
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) May 17, 2024
