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Durham vs Kent, CC2026, Today Match Prediction
DUR vs KENT Win Probability
Toss Winner - Kent won the toss and choose to bowl first
Match Drawn
Can Durham beat Kent at home in County Championship Division Two 2026?
- The average first inning score here is 352 runs.
- Pacers have taken 215 wickets in the last 10 matches at the venue.
- Durham’s Ben Raine has taken 226 wickets in last five seasons.
Durham to Win!
| Tournament: | County Championship Division Two 2026 |
| Format: | test |
| Venue: | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street, United Kingdom, United Kingdom |
| Toss Prediction: | To Bat |
| Weather: | 21.9°C|Clear |
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DUR vs KENT Match Prediction & Analysis
The 2026 County Championship Division Two season kicks off in the North East as Durham welcome Kent to the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street for a four-day red-ball clash starting Friday, April 3, 2026.
This will be the fifth meeting between the two sides in the County Championship. Kent hold a narrow historical edge, having won their only victory in 2018, while the other three encounters have all ended in draws. With both teams beginning their campaigns, expect a competitive battle where every session could prove decisive.
The hosts will rely heavily on their experienced openers. Alex Lees was in fine form last season, racking up 950 runs, while Emilio Gay has a stellar record against Kent, scoring 324 runs in 10 innings, including two centuries.
With the ball, all-rounder Kasey Aldridge has troubled Kent before, taking 8 wickets in 4 matches. England pace duo Mark Wood and Matthew Potts add genuine threat and could swing the game with sharp spells.
Kent may lack depth in prior experience against Durham, but they boast strong individual performers. Ben Compton was one of the standout batters in Division Two last season, amassing an impressive 1,386 runs at an average of 60.26. In the bowling department, leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson enjoyed a prolific year, claiming 35 wickets and will be a key weapon if the pitch offers any turn later in the match.
RECENT PERFORMANCE
DUR
L
L
L
W
L
DUR
387/4 in 50.0 7.74
RLODC
Middlesex beat Durham by 5 wickets
390/5 in 48.0 8.12
KENT
L
L
L
W
L
KENT
HEAD TO HEAD
Last 2 Matches
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TEAMS PREVIEW
Durham Preview
Durham will begin the 2026 County Championship season in Division Two after suffering relegation last year. They finished 9th in Division One with just 2 wins, 6 losses, and 6 draws, collecting 144 points, narrowly missing safety by a single point.
Despite the relegation, Durham produced several strong individual performances with the bat. Young left-hander Emilio Gay emerged as the team’s leading run-scorer, amassing 954 runs in 23 innings at an average of 45.43, including four centuries.
Opener Alex Lees also delivered consistently, scoring 950 runs in 25 innings at an average of 41.30 with three centuries. The opening pair was further strengthened by talented youngster Ben McKinney, who scored 565 runs in 18 innings at an average of 31.39.
In the middle order, Ollie Robinson (594 runs in 22 innings at 28.29) and David Bedingham (333 runs in 11 innings at 30.27) provide experience and composure. Lower down, Colin Ackermann chipped in with 607 runs in 20 innings at an average of 31.95, while all-rounder Ben Raine added 468 runs.
Durham possess a high-quality pace attack. England internationals Mark Wood and Matthew Potts will lead the charge. Wood makes a long-awaited return to county cricket after four years, having last played in 2021. The express pacer, known for his 150 kmph speeds and 119 Test wickets in 38 matches, adds genuine menace.
Matthew Potts has been in strong red-ball form, claiming 29 wickets last season and 116 wickets over the last three years. However, the most consistent performer has been Ben Raine, who has been Durham’s bowling spearhead. Raine took 44 wickets last season, following 32 and a career-best 60 wickets in 2023. Over the last five seasons, he has an impressive tally of 226 wickets.
Durham Predicted Playing XI:
Alex Lees (C), Ben McKinney, Emilio Gay, David Bedingham, Ollie Robinson (WK), Colin Ackermann, Ben Raine, Matthew Potts, Kasey Aldrige, Mark Wood, Nathan Sowter
Durham Actual Playing XI:
Alex Lees, Ben Raine, Ben McKinney, Oliver Robinson, Colin Ackermann, Emilio Gay, Kasey Aldridge, Graham Clark, Matthew Potts, David Bedingham, Kemar Roach
Kent Preview
Kent endured a tough 2025 season, finishing bottom of Division Two with just 2 wins, 6 losses, and 6 draws. The side will be determined to bounce back strongly in 2026 and avoid bottom of the table battle.
Ben Compton was comfortably Kent’s standout performer last season. The experienced 32-year-old opener scored an impressive 1,386 runs in 25 innings at an average of 60.26, including five centuries. His highest score of 221 against Leicestershire saw him finish as the second-highest run-scorer in Division Two.
In the middle order, Daniel Bell-Drummond (670 runs in 20 innings at 33.50) and Tawanda Muyeye (664 runs in 20 innings at 36.89) will be expected to build partnerships and accelerate when needed. Sam Billings, returning to county cricket after a long absence, brings valuable international experience and could stabilise the middle order.
Lower down the batting line-up, Grant Stewart enjoyed an excellent campaign last year, scoring 675 runs at an average of 51.92, including two centuries, highlighted by a fluent 182 runs off 189 balls against Gloucestershire. Harry Finch adds batting depth with 539 runs in 23 innings at an average of 25.67 last season, playing the more patient anchor role of the two.
Kent’s bowling relies heavily on pace. New signing, South African international Glenton Stuurman, arrives with impressive credentials of 278 wickets from 83 Test matches. Leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson will look to continue his strong form from last season, where he claimed 35 wickets, including a standout 7/137 against Leicestershire. His ability to extract turn on wearing pitches could be a major asset in four-day cricket.
Kent Predicted Playing XI:
Ben Compton, Zak Crawley, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Tawanda Muyeye, Sam Billings (C, WK), Ben Dawkins, Harry Finch, Grant Stewart, Matthew Parkinson, Glenton Stuurman, Matt Milnes
Kent Actual Playing XI:
Daniel Bell-Drummond, Chris Benjamin, Zak Crawley, Ben Compton, Keith Dudgeon, Joey Evison, Matt Milnes, Tawanda Muyeye, Sam Northeast, Grant Stewart, Glenton Stuurman
PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
Weather Conditions
The weather forecast suggests that it is going to be mostly cloudy over the next few days in Chester-le-Street. There are some morning showers expected on the opening day followed by light rain on day 2. The temperature will touch the high of 15°C on the final day and low at 6°C on Sunday. Throughout the game, there will be moderate winds blowing at around 32 kmph except for the final day and there is a 10-25% chance of rain.
DUR vs KENT Pitch Report
The pitch at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street for the County Championship is typically balanced and seamer-friendly. It offers good pace, bounce, and seam movement early on, especially with a bit of grass, helping Durham's pace attack. Batters need to work hard initially, but the surface can flatten out later for bigger scores.
There have been 6 International Test matches played at the venue in which the first innings average score here is 352 runs which continues to fall in the latter innings. The highest score here is 569 runs by the hosts England against West Indies and the lowest total is 94.
Toss: To Bat
It would be ideal for the captain that wins the toss to opt to bat first. In red ball cricket, the pitch is often at its best on the first day, allowing for the batters to put some big totals on the board. Out of 6 Test matches played at the venue, 4 times batting first side won the match.
DUR vs KENT
Winning Prediction
Durham are slight favorites at home. They boast a strong top order (Alex Lees, Emilio Gay) and a dangerous pace attack led by Mark Wood, Matthew Potts, and Ben Raine. Kent rely on Ben Compton’s consistency and Matthew Parkinson’s spin, but don't have enough quality. On a seamer-friendly Riverside pitch, back Durham to win.
Durham to Win!
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