Durham match thread 2023

[Durhamfootman]

but stranger things have happened!

not this time

I've been confident of promotion for ages

[captaincolly]

but stranger things have happened!

not this time

I've been confident of promotion for ages

Yes, I say stranger things but realistically it would take something extraordinary to go wrong.

[captaincolly]

Another century for Alex Bradman. But also a couple of soft dismissals. 243/4 with a run a ball 50 for Robinson- or a 100 according to the announcer, heat must be getting to him.

[captaincolly]

A pity Lees, Borthwick and Robinson all got out shortly
after getting to 100/50. One really big score and we'd be close to putting the game beyond Sussex. Lead at tea is 4 with 5 wickets left so we could do with one more big stand or a few decent ones.
New ball due soon to so could be eventful.

[captaincolly]

100 partnership between Clark and de Leede, last 50 very quick. I was hoping for a 100 run lead by the close but it's 107 with 8 overs to go. They seem to be in the hitting zone so every chance of a wicket but this could be the match defining stand.

[captaincolly]

150 partnership and 100 for Clark!

[Durhamfootman]

Terrific partnership, this

With 11 overs to go I was thinking that if we carried on at 4 an over then we’d be close to 400 at close, but we’ve gone way past that. Clarky must have gone ballistic

Alex Bradman must surely be giving England something to think about for winter

[Durhamfootman]

71 runs in the last 11 overs of the day and we blocked the last one

[captaincolly]

Could hardly have gone any better. A couple of quick wickets after tea and we could have been looking at an insignificant lead but that partnership was very smart- nothing too adventurous for the first part and then they flayed the tiring bowlers to all parts. There was one tough chance dropped by the keeper but very few alarms. Looks like ideal batting conditions so could be tough taking 10 wickets- although there's so much time left and if we can keep Sussex in the field for another couple of hours they may capitulate in the 2nd innings.

[Durhamfootman]

Sussex are running out of matches, so they can I’ll afford to lose this match. That might bolster them to try and bat long, but it might also weigh heavily if they have no chance of winning it. They might just think their season is finished if they can’t win this game and their heads might drop

[Durhamfootman]

No-one seems to know why Ollie Robinson2 wasn’t playing in this match. The word was that England had said he could play some part in the run in, but it all seems very vague. He dropped out before the ashes ended and he played no part in white ball August. He isn’t injured because he’s been playing lots of golf in Portugal. He isn’t part of the World Cup squad, so England don’t require his services for weeks and months. Perhaps he was being held back for Sussex’s two home games, but really this was their big game in their quest for promotion. Lose this and they’re cooked, so it makes no sense to hold him back.

It’s a real baffler

[captaincolly]

No-one seems to know why Ollie Robinson2 wasn’t playing in this match. The word was that England had said he could play some part in the run in, but it all seems very vague. He dropped out before the ashes ended and he played no part in white ball August. He isn’t injured because he’s been playing lots of golf in Portugal. He isn’t part of the World Cup squad, so England don’t require his services for weeks and months. Perhaps he was being held back for Sussex’s two home games, but really this was their big game in their quest for promotion. Lose this and they’re cooked, so it makes no sense to hold him back.

It’s a real baffler

Yes.makes no sense at all. Such a crucial game and he's the type of bowler capable of causing chaos.

[Durhamfootman]

He’s one of the few bowlers that I fear us playing, tbh. Just as well that we’ve avoided him this season. (Or did he play at hove?)

[captaincolly]

He’s one of the few bowlers that I fear us playing, tbh. Just as well that we’ve avoided him this season. (Or did he play at hove?)

I agree,very dangerous bowler. He didn't play at Hove, think it was a farcical thing where he was rested for the first game of the season!

[Durhamfootman]

He’s one of the few bowlers that I fear us playing, tbh. Just as well that we’ve avoided him this season. (Or did he play at hove?)

I agree,very dangerous bowler. He didn't play at Hove, think it was a farcical thing where he was rested for the first game of the season!

Ah yes, I’d forgotten about that. Ridiculous