Ben Stokes

On an apparently blameless pitch ball dominated bat at Chester-le-Street on the first day of a match which is for one team important and for the other crucial

Surrey's bold decision at the toss of their key match against one of their biggest relegation rivals may prove a turning point in their battle to remain in Division One

Durham won early on Sunday afternoon by 15 runs, prompting scenes of ecstatic celebration among their players on the outfield

Durham fought back with the ball to ease the gloom that has descended after two poor sessions against Middlesex on day one at Chester-le-Street

Durham adopted a cautious approach in their search for a first Championship win of the season against Warwickshire at Chester-le-Street

Lancashire need another 144 runs to beat Durham

Durham allrounder Ben Stokes has been ruled out of England Lions' match against West Indies, with Ian Bell taking his place in the squad

Five new faces have been named in the 26-man England Performance squad for 2012.

Ben Stokes, the England and Durham allrounder, will be out for around six months after undergoing surgery on his right index finger

Another English domestic season has drawn to a close with silverware for Lancashire, Leicestershire, Surrey and Middlesex. George Dobell hands out his awards for 2011

Jos Buttler couldn't help Somerset end their run of second-place finishes in county cricket, but gave another demonstration of his talent against Surrey at Lord's

Stuart Broad will hope that his personal change in fortune over the last couple of months will be replicated in England's Twenty20 form when they take on India at Old Trafford

England have rested Kevin Pietersen for the upcoming ODI series India and called-up Durham allrounder Ben Stokes

James Taylor's century and Ben Stokes's fifty set up a series-clinching 135-run victory for England Lions over Sri Lanka A at Northampton

A 112-run stand for the eight wicket dragged Durham over the line in a tight contest against Sri Lanka A at Chester-le-Street

James Taylor, the Leicestershire batsman, will captain England Lions in their four-day and one-day matches against Sri Lanka A next month

Durham allrounder Ben Stokes will be out of action for six to eight weeks after badly dislocating a finger during his team's innings-and-125-run thrashing of Lancashire on Tuesday