Lyon secures stokes' wicket in county championship clash

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has outperformed England Test captain Ben Stokes, claiming his wicket in their latest County Championship encounter on Saturday.

Lyon has dismissed Stokes nine times in Tests but was left helpless when the star all-rounder struck a stunning 135 not out to guide England to a thrilling one-wicket win in a 2019 Ashes clash at Headingley.

It was a very different story, however, as Lyon — signed by Lancashire as an overseas player this season — bowled to 32-year-old Durham hero Stokes on Saturday’s second day of a First Division clash at Blackpool.

In his first innings in two months, Stokes had made a sedate two off 16 balls when he played back to a Lyon delivery which gripped and turned to take his outside edge, with Tom Bruce holding a low catch at second slip.

Lyon, 36, finished with fine figures of 4-59 as Durham made 236, featuring South Africa batsman David Bedingham’s 101, in reply to Lancashire’s first-innings 357.

Stokes, aiming to operate as a genuine all-rounder with England once again this season following knee surgery, took a wicket in his first over of Lancashire’s second innings to remove Luke Wells following an encouraging first-innings return of 2-71.

But Lancashire reached stumps on 91-2, a lead of 212 runs, as they chased a first win of the season.

England are due to play six Tests — three against the West Indies and three against Sri Lanka — in their 2024 home season.

The first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s starts on July 10.