Joe Root: Yorkshire and England batter falls four short of century in first County Championship appearance of 2026
In first outing since Ashes tour of Australia, Joe Root impresses with bat on County Championship duty for Yorkshire; Root's England Test team-mate Ben Duckett fell for 93 for Nottinghamshire on day three of their clash with Warwickshire
Sunday 26 April 2026 19:54, UK
Joe Root quickly found form on his first appearance of the summer for Yorkshire duty, but fell four short of a century on day three of their County Championship clash with Sussex at Headingley.
After the visitors racked up 502 in their first innings, Yorkshire needed big runs in reply and Root played his part with 96 in his first outing since the Ashes tour of Australia.
Root was ultimately undone just shy of a 56th first-class hundred, a little extra lift from a Henry Crocombe (3-107) delivery found the edge through to the wicketkeeper.
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Australian import Sam Whiteman (101) did reach three figures, following in the footsteps of Finlay Bean (105) from day two, but Jonny Bairstow could only manage six before being bowled by James Coles (3-138).
Yorkshire finished with a single-figure lead after making 511, then nipped out both Sussex openers as the visitors closed on 31-2 in their second innings.
Root's England Test team-mate Ben Duckett suffered a similar fate when out for 93 on day three of Nottinghamshire's match with Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.
Notts captain Haseeb Hameed regained his form with a fine knock of 115, as he and Duckett shared in a 150-run partnership for the second wicket, helping the defending champions to 310-4 - and a lead of 130 - by stumps after having followed on.
At the Kia Oval, former England pair Dom Sibley and Dan Lawrence both reminded the selectors of their talent as they struck centuries on day three of Surrey's clash with Essex.
Sibley gritted his way to 101 in more than six and a half hours, with Lawrence scoring at a livelier rate for his 125 as part of Surrey's 472, earning the hosts a first-innings lead of 63.
Essex chipped away at 19-0 by stumps in a contest which appears destined to be a draw heading into the final day.
Bowlers also had a tough time of it at Sophia Gardens, where Leicestershire ended day three secure on 500-5 in response to Glamorgan's first-innings 440, with Jake Weatherald's 104 the standout knock.
In Division Two, Worcestershire wrapped up the first win of the round by knocking over Kent for a second time to defeat them by an innings and two runs at New Road.
England opener Zak Crawley once again failed impress, making a season's best 31 but was unable to kick on before falling to Beyers Swanepoel (2-73).
With an average of just under 20 in his first six innings of the campaign, his chances of clinging on to his Test place look to be vanishing by the week.
Kent were bowled out for 249, with Tom Taylor claiming 5-56 for Worcestershire.
Lancashire set themselves up for a victory push against promotion rivals Durham, with Paul Coughlin (100no) and Michael Jones (72) doing the job against their former side.
The ex-Durham duo came together with Lancashire reeling on 72-6, Matthew Potts' three-wicket burst with the new ball taking its toll, but added a vital stand of 131 to shift the momentum.
James Anderson declared on 260-9 with a lead of 335, but bad light halted the master seamer's hopes of taking late wickets.
Derbyshire, meanwhile, still have work to do to hold off visitors Gloucestershire after following on. Mickey Arthur's side will resume day four on 117-3, trailing by 100.
