The main event on Saturday featured just another of the two fascinating arm wrestles that have taken place in the Ashes over the years.
At Blackpool, Australia's Nathan Lyon emerged victorious in his most recent matchup with England Test skipper Ben Stokes, giving Lancashire the advantage over Durham.
The two have had several exciting arm wrestles in the Ashes over the years, and on day two of this Vitality County Championship Division One match, there was yet another brawl.
Playing back to a delivery that gripped and spun to grab his outside edge, Stokes made a becalmed two from 16 balls in his first batting in two months before falling to a bowler who has dismissed him nine times in Tests. Tom Bruce made a low catch at second slip.
Lyon concluded with four wickets for 59, while Tom Aspinwall took five wickets for his first-ever five-wicket haul to limit Durham to 236 against Lancashire's 357, supported by David Bedingham's 101.
Luke Wells mishandled Matthew Potts for a wicket in Stokes' opening over, but Lancashire, who are at the bottom of the league, finished on 91 for two with a 212-run lead as they looked to win their first game of the season.
At Taunton, England teammate Jack Leach grabbed two wickets to put Somerset ahead, while Kent's Zak Crawley scored a golden duck.
Following Somerset's 554 all-out, Craig Overton trapped Crawley leg before wicket first-ball, while Leach, having just returned from knee surgery, trapped Ben Compton behind and Harry Finch in front.
After reaching 108 for five, Kent was still behind by a steep 446.
Following Dan Worrall's six-for-22, Rory Burns, Jamie Smith, Dan Lawrence, and Jordan Clark all hit fifty runs as Surrey amassed a decisive 427-run lead over Worcestershire at the Kia Oval.
Following Ed Barnard's 165 and Michael Burgess' 108 to dismiss Warwickshire for 397, 20-year-old Simmons dismissed Tom Westley, Nick Browne, and Matt Critchley in the space of 15 balls, leaving Essex all out for 162. The Bears then increased their lead to 278 after their hosts mounted a valiant comeback.
With 706 for six declared at Grace Road, Gloucestershire recorded their greatest score in their 154-year first-class history in Division Two, eventually reducing Leicestershire to 133 for five.
Gloucestershire reached 700 for the first time thanks to Graeme Van Buuren's 103 off just 93 balls and James Bracey's 92 after openers Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth's centuries on the opening day.
Sussex leads Yorkshire by 149 runs at Hove thanks to Tom Alsop's unbroken 77, even though the home team only has three second-inning wickets remaining.
After Glamorgan's 183 at Cardiff, Rob Keogh's 102 supported Northamptonshire's 422 before Derbyshire finished the day on 170 for two at Derby. Mark Stoneman's 129 helped Middlesex reach 303 for six.