England skipper Ben Stokes was denied a wicket from just his fourth ball as he returned to action for Durham in their Rothesay County Championship clash with Northamptonshire.
With skipper Alex Lees having won the toss and put the visitors in at the Banks Homes Riverside, he turned to the 35-year-old after 10 overs as he made his first bowling change.
Stokes, who was stood down from the England squad for the second Test against New Zealand for breaching team protocols after victory in the first Test, might have got off to the perfect start when opener Ricardo Vasconcelos clipped the fourth ball of his first over straight to Ben McKinney at leg slip, but saw him spill the catch.
Luke Procter had to be checked over after ducking into a Stokes bouncer from the first ball of the 15th over, with the all-rounder building up a head of steam under bright sunshine in Chester-le-Street, although Vasconcelos launched the final delivery over square leg for six.
Procter survived concerted lbw appeals as the paceman’s first spell drew to a close without a wicket.
By lunch, Northamptonshire had reached 91 for no wicket with Stokes’ six overs, the last two of which were maidens, having cost 16 runs.
The Press Association understands the Durham all-rounder could return to the England squad for next week’s third Test at Trent Bridge after the prospect of him relinquishing the captaincy or even retiring in the wake of an ongoing investigation into his conduct and that of team-mate Gus Atkinson appeared to recede.
As his international team-mates prepared for a difficult third day at the Oval, Stokes reported for duty at the Riverside at 8.40am and warmed up on the outfield with the rest of the squad.
He then marked out his run-ups and turned his arm over in preparation for an 11am start.
Stokes was applauded warmly by a sparse crowd as Durham took the field, and again after Lees’ decision to bring him into the attack was announced to the crowd.
Atkinson was also in Championship action for Surrey and had Glamorgan’s Kiran Carlson caught behind before bowling Ben Kellaway as he took two for eight in his eight overs – which included five maidens – before lunch.
