Ben Stokes scored 95 for Durham against Northamptonshire, narrowly missing out on a century as he was bowled for 95 by seamer Harry Conway just after tea at Chester-le-Street.
The England captain, who is absent from the second Test after being made unavailable pending an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub, came within five runs of what would have been his first first-class century since his 141 against India in the fourth Test in July 2025 also his first Test hundred since August 2022.
His 118-ball innings, featuring 18 fours, marked a welcome return to form with the bat.
Since that century against India at Old Trafford, Stokes had managed just 350 runs in nine first-class matches at an average of 25 prior to facing Northamptonshire.
