Durham match thread 2022

[Durhamfootman]

Looks as though Capt Beaky is content to declare overnight and try and bowl Leics out in 96 overs. No sign of the players getting their whites on

[Durhamfootman]

Always do what the opposition least wants, as the saying goes

Leics probably can't believe their luck. This game is just drifting and has been since Dickson got out

[Durhamfootman]

Davis is just bowling inches inside the white lines. Whenever the batsman tries to move across he fires it down the leg side. Umpire is letting it go, but the batsmen are getting frustrated with the balls not being called wide

wide full tosses just inside the lines..... hey... if the umpire lets him get away with it then it's decent bowling under the circumstances. It's taken all the momentum out of the batting because they can only get a toe end on the ball

[Durhamfootman]

Maiden hundred for Jones

well batted son

[Durhamfootman]

and out lbw missing a straight one from the part time offie

[Durhamfootman]

well, there we are. All done for the day. 239-2 and a lead of 394

2 career best performances in a day.

108 for Jones and 6-58 for Potts

I can't help but think that if Potts can't do it again tomorrow, then in Azad, Ackermann, Swindells and Hendricks, Leics have the tools to grind out a draw.... as they did last week against Worcs. Worcs also declared overnight and gave themselves 96 overs to win the game, so lets hope for a different result

Oh blimey.... can you imagine if we came out and batted for half an hour in the morning as well? There'd be a riot

[westoelad]

Carse 127* and 6-0-23-1 v South North

[captaincolly]

Maiden hundred for Jones

well batted son

I wonder if giving him the chance to get there, as well as time in the middle for KP were factors in deciding not to declare. Flat pitch as well so I don't mind a more conservative approach in this instance - although Borthwick will get some stick if they are 8 or 9 down at the close tomorrow.
Who will make way for Lees? Surely can't leave out Dickson or Jones now, maybe Trevaskis will have to make way?

[Durhamfootman]

maybe Capt Beaky? He's the only one of the top 5 to not have a ton under his belt (KP excepted)

If he stuffs this up tomorrow I'd drop him in a heartbeat

what year was it when they let Burnham get to his ton when they already had plenty and he proceeded to toss about in the nineties for an absolute age? I can't remember if we won that game or not. I think we did.

[Durhamfootman]

It can't be Dickson who makes way, because he's the aggressive one, whereas both Jones and Lees are more defensively minded and the two together risk getting themselves bogged down and handing the initiative to the bowlers

I was surprised when I saw how small KP is. And when Davis was bowling wide full tosses to him he changed to a much more front on stance which reminded me very much of Shiv.... but he could still barely reach the ball

[captaincolly]

maybe Capt Beaky? He's the only one of the top 5 to not have a ton under his belt (KP excepted)

If he stuffs this up tomorrow I'd drop him in a heartbeat

what year was it when they let Burnham get to his ton when they already had plenty and he proceeded to toss about in the nineties for an absolute age? I can't remember if we won that game or not. I think we did.

Think it was last year and we won but it took longer than it should have.

[captaincolly]

Looks very much like a bore draw. Only slight chance is Potts repeating yesterday's heroics with the old ball. Lots or runs getting scored across the country again.

[Durhamfootman]

Well it seems the reason we batted to the close yesterday was because we knew bowling out Leics was unlikely on this pitch and didn't want to risk losing it

It either says something about the pitch or it says something about our bowling attack

maybe it says something about both

[Durhamfootman]

If we were playing Notts and we prepared a road I could understand it, they have a much better bowling unit than we have and we'd probably take a draw against them every day of the week...... but this is Leics and we should be beating them 9 times out of 10 at home

Muddled thinking by all concerned?

[captaincolly]

Well it seems the reason we batted to the close yesterday was because we knew bowling out Leics was unlikely on this pitch and didn't want to risk losing it

It either says something about the pitch or it says something about our bowling attack

maybe it says something about both

I must admit that possible reason did cross my mind, can't remember a pitch as unresponsive. They may have felt if 96 overs wouldn't be enough then 106 probably wouldn't have been - at times it was almost slow motion as the ball pitched and hit the middle of the bat.
I do think this attack is too one dimensional and prone to struggle in unfavourable conditions but on the other hand I think this pitch might have defeated any attack.