Both England men's captains were in action for the first time in the 2026 County Championship this week – here's how all the England incumbents and hopefuls fared.
Sam Cook – 3-56 & 3-52
Cook was Essex's stand-out quick in a helter-skelter game at Chelmsford. He took three top order wickets on day one to trigger Hampshire's collapse to 235 all out, before removing opener Toby Albert and No.3 Tom Prest within a three over spell to leave the home side 19-2. He finished his account by getting Liam Dawson caught behind to make it six wickets in the game.
Harry Brook – 40 & 26
On his first County outing of the season, England's white-ball captain missed a drive skipping down the wicket to get out for 40 in Yorkshire's first innings. As Warwickshire racked up the runs in the second, he was called-up to bowl 18 overs of medium pace – the most overs he has ever sent down in a single Championship innings. He gave away a caught and bowled in the second innings to feed into Yorkshire's capitulation to a 377-run defeat.
James Coles – 19 & 32*, 1-11 & 0-22
Coles took one wicket in Leicestershire's first innings on a day where plenty of catches went down at Hove. He was dropped down a position to No.5 in Sussex's batting order after a quiet start to the season, but edged to the slip cordon playing an extravagant shot for 19.
Ollie Robinson – 3-85 & 3-46
Robinson was the stand-out of Sussex's seamers in their home fixture against Leicestershire. Despite not getting early rewards with the movement he found on a green surface, he picked up two wickets late on day one, making up for several drops from the home side. His ball to castle Australia opener Jake Weatherald was a pearler, moving away off a full length and ripping his off stump out of the ground.
James Rew – 4 & 0
Having been promoted to open for Somerset with a potential England place on the line, Rew couldn't make the most of that opportunity. He was bowled by Timm van der Gugten for four on day one, and fell to Tom Norton for a duck in Somerset's second innings as the first victim of a historic hat-trick.
Asa Tribe – 4 & 52
Tribe faced two balls in his first innings, and edged both of them. The first flew over the slip cordon and down to the boundary for four and the second found the waiting hands of Archie Vaughan at fourth slip. He redeemed himself in Glamorgan's second innings, reaching his third half-century of the season, albeit surviving a dropped chance by Rew.
Haseeb Hameed – 7 & 12
Twin failures for Hameed in Nottinghamshire's draw against Surrey. He was drawn into a drive by Dan Worrall early on the first morning and edged behind the slip, before he was bowled, again by Abbott, in the sixth over of Nottinghamshire's second innings late on day three.
Ben Duckett – 42 & 203*
A statement innings from Ben Duckett in Nottinghamshire's second dig. His innings was only the second time he's faced more than 300 balls in an innings in his first-class career, and marked Duckett's first three figure score of the summer.
Josh Tongue – 4-89
Tongue made an impact with the bat early in the game, putting on 74 runs together with fellow England Test quick Olly Stone. He then bowled threateningly and with venom in partnership with Stone in Surrey's only innings, but without early rewards. He was rewarded with two quick wickets in Jamie Smith and Ryan Patel, before picking up his third by castling Adam Thomas.
Olly Stone – 2-68
Stone put in another strong performance following his five-for last week, taking two wickets as well as scoring 38 from No.10.
Jamie Smith – 37
Having been dismissed twice for single figures in consecutive matches after his early season centuries, Smith was key in absorbing pressure from Nottinghamshire's express opening bowlers when he came to the crease with Surrey 39-1. He saw Surrey to 119-1 at Tea on day two alongside Dom Sibley, but fell into a well laid trap which saw him caught at leg slip by Duckett off Tongue, fending away a short ball.
Ollie Pope – 19*
Pope was hit on the thumb when fielding in the first innings at Trent Bridge, and was subsequently held back until No.9 as a precaution when Surrey came into bat. He was the last man standing for Surrey, unbeaten on 19.
Gus Atkinson – 1-80
Atkinson bowled tidily on day one at Trent Bridge, faced with stiff resistance from Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes, before a fiery spell of bumpers from England teammate Tongue saw him ruled out of the match with concussion.
Emilio Gay – 28 & 51*
Having scored a century in three of his previous four Championship outings, Gay started with an uncharacteristic failure against Worcestershire. He edged through to the keeper for 28 after looking in the same imperious form he's been in over the start of the season. He made up for it in the second innings however, reaching a half-century and finishing not out as Durham secured a big win late on day three.
Ben Stokes – 2-54, 2-33 & 14
Stokes made his first Championship outing for almost two years for Durham against Worcestershire. He opened the bowling and took a wicket in the second over of his spell, before bowling Adam Hose with the first ball of the evening session on day one. With the bat, he edged to slip on 14 to contribute to a collapse which saw Durham slip to 119-4. However, Callum Parkinson's spell on day three, as well as Stokes two wickets, saw the visitors set up a simple chase.
Zak Crawley – 1 & 17
Crawley continued his dismal run of form, chopping on four one off the 12th ball of his innings early on day two against Gloucestershire. He came out attacking the second innings, hitting a four off his first ball and continued to play extravagantly throughout his short innings. It came to an end against Will Williams, when Crawley looked to drive a straight ball over mid-on and missed, the ball clattering into the stumps.
Shoaib Bashir – 2-47 & 3-49
Bashir was miserly and bowled with control during Northants' first innings, returning figures of 2-47 off 26.5 overs. He bowled 36 overs as Northants almost blocked out for a draw on the final day, taking three wickets.
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