Brilliant Hildreth hits career best on day when batsmen prosper

Batting records were demolished all over the place in the Royal London One-day Cup, with four teams exceeding 300 and Somerset’s James Hildreth’s hitting his careerbest limited-over score of 159.

His brilliant 125-ball innings featured eight sixes and 13 fours, helping his side post 372 for seven.

In reply, Glamorgan made 289 all out, with a crowd of around 3,500 enjoying 19 sixes in a run feast.

Lancashire opener Alex Davies made the county’s second-highest individual score in List A cricket as the Red Rose defeated Durham by 192 runs at Emirates Old Trafford.

Davies hit 147 in his team’s 314 for seven, although at one stage Lancashire threatened more with Davies and Keaton Jennings sharing an opening stand of 175, a List A firstwicket record for the county.

Middlesex batsman Paul Stirling equalled his highest score of 125 in 115 deliveries against Kent to lay the foundations for an imposing total of 313 for nine and eventual victory by 70 runs at Radlett.

Runs also flowed at Nottinghamshire, where Northamptonshire recorded their first win in the county in any competition since 2003. Once again victory was down to a big first-innings total, with the Steelbacks posting 339 for nine, courtesy of half-centuries from Josh Cobb, Alex Wakely and Adam Rossington.

In reply, the champions failed to string any significant partnerships together and were bowled out for 290 with 3.4 overs remaining. Graeme White took three wickets against his former county.