Severe Weather from Storm Dave Causes Damage to Durham Cricket Ground

Durham's cricket stadium suffered damage due to Storm Dave, resulting in the cancellation of the third day of the County Championship Division Two match against Kent. The storm caused a scaffolding platform to collapse, and fencing was damaged, while a wheeled cover ended up in the stands. The wet pitch, caused by the covers being blown away, led to the cancellation of the entire day's play. Spectators were initially told to stay away but were later allowed back into the stadium, although no play took place. The visiting head coach, Adam Hollioake, described the scene as resembling a war zone. The substantial amount of water on the wicket made it difficult to start play. Although the weather is expected to improve, the damage from Storm Dave has already had an impact on the match. Durham is currently leading Kent by 221 runs in the season opener, with England hopeful Emilio Gay scoring a hundred in the home side's first innings. The stadium is set to host several senior England matches this summer, including a women's ODI against New Zealand and men's games against India and Sri Lanka. In other County Championship news, Essex registered the first victory of the season, defeating Hampshire by an innings and 137 runs inside three days at Chelmsford.