Gary Ballance continued his stellar start to the summer as his third successive century across formats helped Yorkshire open their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign with a comfortable 213-run home win over Leicestershire.

Ballance crashed a career-best 156 from 133 balls in a powerful display as he set up the win alongside 20-year-old Harry Brook in a 209-run stand after Yorkshire had initially faltered to 17 for three.

Brook was no less impressive as he registered his maiden white-ball century, with 103 from 105 balls, as the White Rose county posted their equal-highest List A total of 379 for seven.
Ballance stole the show, however, after he had started the Specsavers County Championship with back-to-back centuries and took that form into the 50-over format with 15 fours and six sixes.

It was too much for Leicestershire to handle as Matthew Pillans picked up five for 29 as the Foxes meekly surrendered to be all out for 166 in less than 30 overs.

Across the Pennines, Worcestershire showed why they are regarded as one of the favourites to reach the Lord’s final on May 25 as twin tons from Daryl Mitchell (101) and Hamish Rutherford (108) ensured they were always in control of a 125-run win over Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.

Worcestershire topped the North Group last season, before winning the Vitality T20 Blast, and showcased their power with the bat in a total of 367 that has threatened to be even more.
Mitchell and Rutherford combined in a 182-run stand for the third wicket, after opener Rikki Wessels blasted 72 from 57 balls, with their progress only checked late by leg-spinner Matt Parkinson who fully deserved his figures of five for 51.

Big totals were the order of the day for counties batting first – the eight centurions on the opening day of the tournament all belonged to batsmen who got first use of the conditions – and new Durham captain Cameron Bancroft cashed in with an unbeaten 151.

The 26-year-old Australian shared a record-breaking fourth-wicket stand of 208 with Michael Richardson, who posted his 102 from 96 balls.

Varun Chopra’s century paved the way for Essex to start their campaign with a comfortable 180-run win over Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Half-centuries from Tom Westley and Dan Lawrence provided the support for Chopra as Essex posted 326 for seven before promptly knocking over their hosts for 146. Ravi Bopara claimed three for 26.

Surrey were skittled for just 88 in 24 overs in a 147-run defeat to Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The hosts had won just seven of their past 24 matches in the 50-over format since they beat Surrey in the 2015 final and did not appear well placed to improve on that record when they were bowled out for 235, having at one stage been 156 for one under the guidance of Chris Dent (75) and Gareth Roderick (74).

But Surrey’s response never got going – England opener Jason Roy top scored with 19 – as Chris Liddle and Tom Smith claimed three wickets each.

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