England fast bowler Brydon Carse produced an impressive spell for Durham, taking his first five wicket haul for the county since 2021 during their County Championship Division Two clash against Middlesex at Chester le Street on Wednesday.

Carse, who has been left out of England’s ongoing Test series against Pakistan, finished with figures of 5 for 72 as Durham took a 49 run first innings lead. His fifth wicket, however, came in a highly unusual manner.

Carse delivered a full toss to Middlesex tailender Naavya Sharma, with the ball heading towards the stumps. Instead of attempting to defend it, Sharma strangely tried to duck underneath the delivery. The ball struck his pads and Carse was awarded his fifth wicket. The Durham pacer smiled as the umpire raised his finger to confirm the dismissal.

Durham were bowled out for 252 in their first innings, with No. 10 batter Ben Raine leading the scoring with 58. Middlesex then struggled in reply and were dismissed for 203, with captain Max Holden top scoring for the visitors with 43.

Carse has remained outside England’s plans after being arrested outside a Derby nightclub on August 22. Derbyshire Police are investigating an alleged assault connected with the incident, while the Cricket Regulator is also examining the matter.

England have also left Carse out of their upcoming white ball squads against Sri Lanka, giving him time to deal with the issues surrounding the Derby incident. The decision does not prejudge the outcome of any investigation.

The Sri Lanka tour will begin with three T20Is, with the opening match scheduled for Southampton on September 15, followed by games in Cardiff on September 17 and Manchester on September 19.

Carse previously faced disciplinary action in 2024 after historical breaches of the ECB’s betting regulations resulted in a three month suspension. Since returning, he has become an important member of England’s multi format setup and was the team’s leading wicket taker during last winter’s Ashes series in Australia.