Storm Dave damages Durham's Riverside cricket ground during County Championship game with Kent
Wheeled cover ends up in stands and scaffolding blown down as Storm Dave wreaks havoc at Chester-le-Street; fans told to stay away before wet pitch sees day three of County Championship match between Durham and Kent abandoned; Essex beat Hampshire inside three days for first win of season
Sunday 5 April 2026 19:38, UK
Durham's cricket stadium has been damaged by Storm Dave, with fans initially told to stay away for safety reasons on an ultimately abandoned day three of the County Championship Division Two match with Kent.
A scaffolding platform at one end of the ground, which held a sightscreen, was toppled and fencing was hit, while a wheeled cover ended up in the stands at Chester-le-Street.
Durham issued a statement early on Sunday saying play would not start on time due to the overnight impact of the weather, and a wet pitch, caused by the covers blowing away and leaving the surface unprotected from rain, led to the whole day being wiped out.
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Spectators were allowed back in shortly after 1pm but did not see a ball bowled.
Speaking to BBC Kent Sport before the day was officially called off, visiting head coach Adam Hollioake said: "It looks like a war scene.
"There's been quite a substantial amount of water getting onto the wicket so that's probably the one thing which is actually affecting the start more than anything.
"You can play cricket without sightscreens. Club cricketers around the country do it every weekend.
"But at the moment there's a big patch of water that's blown off the covers onto the wicket which is going to make it hard for us to start."
Durham - now back in the second tier after relegation at the end of the last campaign - are currently 83-2 in their second innings, leading Kent by 221 runs in the season opener.
England hopeful Emilio Gay hit a hundred in the home side's first innings before being dismissed for 11 second time around.
Durham hosts three senior England matches this summer, starting with a women's ODI against New Zealand on Sunday May 10.
The ground will then stage two men's games - a T20 international versus India on Wednesday July 1 and an ODI against Sri Lanka on Tuesday September 22.
Essex early leaders after three-day Hampshire win
Essex registered the first victory of the 2026 County Championship season after beating Hampshire by an innings and 137 runs inside three days at Chelmsford.
Matt Critchley starred with both bat and ball, top-scoring with a masterful 173 from 266 deliveries as Essex declared on 461-7.
After Hampshire were bowled out for 156 in their first innings and forced to follow on, Critchley secured figures of 5-9 - including the match‑clinching wicket of Sonny Baker - as his spin partnership with Simon Harmer (3-49) tore through the visitors' batting line-up.
The comprehensive victory sees Essex move to the top of the early Division One table ahead of Friday's visit of Somerset, while Hampshire travel to Yorkshire next.
