Durham Match Thread 2019

[captaincolly]

Odd thing here is that Sussex have bowled exceptionally well but have also bowled 31 extras in 71 overs. Just as well with the score 136/5. Although there has been loads of exitable appealing to no avail so maybe they've not bowled as well as I think they have. 136/5 is pretty good to a lot of our efforts last year!

[captaincolly]

50 partnership and the 150 is up.

[captaincolly]

At the risk of putting the mockers on him, Eckersley looks like a good batsman and certainly much better than Poynter.

[captaincolly]

Although the new ball has been taken so it's going to get tricky again.

[Durhamfootman]

now that's a score I wasn't expecting to see

[Durhamfootman]

50 up for Trevaskis

Good lad!

Closing in on a batting point too

A batting point

rarer than hens teeth

and there it is.... 200-6

okay there probably aren't enough overs available to make it to a second batting point, but it's a start and I'd rather we toughed these innings out rather than collapsed faster than ........... well....... France!

[captaincolly]

50 up for Trevaskis

Good lad!

Closing in on a batting point too

A batting point

rarer than hens teeth

and there it is.... 200-6

okay there probably aren't enough overs available to make it to a second batting point, but it's a start and I'd rather we toughed these innings out rather than collapsed faster than ........... well....... France!

Yep! A shame to lose two in two balls near the end but I was fearing the worst and we did much better than I thought we would when Sussex looked like getting a wicket almost every ball after lunch. Harte and especially Bancroft staying in and blunting the attack. Eckerskey and Trevaskis played so well that it was a surprise when they got out although in the back of my mind I wondered if maybe the conditions for batting might be getting better.
Still, a fairly encouraging day imo.

[Durhamfootman]

Eckerskey and Trevaskis played so well that it was a surprise when they got out although in the back of my mind I wondered if maybe the conditions for batting might be getting better.

Might be as simple as the ball getting older. For much of last year we were struggling to keep the innings going long enough for the ball to get soft and the bowlers to get a bit tired. 50 overs per innings were about as good as things got when we were batting.

I particularly like that our top order batsmen seem to have at least tried to sell their wickets dearly enough to let the middle order cash in against the older ball

we may not have scored many runs and we may well end up with a very modest 1st innings total, but at least it feels like a little bit of progress has been made

[captaincolly]

Eckerskey and Trevaskis played so well that it was a surprise when they got out although in the back of my mind I wondered if maybe the conditions for batting might be getting better.

Might be as simple as the ball getting older. For much of last year we were struggling to keep the innings going long enough for the ball to get soft and the bowlers to get a bit tired. 50 overs per innings were about as good as things got when we were batting.

I particularly like that our top order batsmen seem to have at least tried to sell their wickets dearly enough to let the middle order cash in against the older ball

we may not have scored many runs and we may well end up with a very modest 1st innings total, but at least it feels like a little bit of progress has been made

I agree. We'll have to wait until Sussex bat to judge our score but it does feel like progress. Trevaskis and Eckersley batted well against the new ball but , as you say, they had the chance to get in against the older ball because Harte & Bancroft dug in and made sure the middle order weren't exposed to rampant bowlers. That has been the constant failing in the past couple of years - the top 3/4 shot out in no time and the middle order given virtually no chance to survive.

[Durhamfootman]

I think I'll head down now for the morning session. See what's happening

I expect us to be about to bowl in the 20 mins or so it'll take me to get there

[captaincolly]

I think I'll head down now for the morning session. See what's happening

I expect us to be about to bowl in the 20 mins or so it'll take me to get there

The first one has gone about 5 minutes into the morning! I'll be down after lunch.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Five down! Three to the Gods and Monsters fella. Great time to go to the Riverside.

[Durhamfootman]

yes, good session.

Batting is clearly challenging because the wickets have fallen whenever the batsmen have tried to be aggressive. Wells has had 3 lives which I hope won't cost us later. he scored 8 runs in his first 2 overs and then didn't score another run for 13 overs... and when he did he flashed hard and the edged ball went straight through Burnham at 3rd slip. That was his 3rd life and it should have been taken, really... yes it was flying but it was straight at him at a very catchable height. To be fair, Wells is the only one to have assessed the conditions well. He started to get a bit twitchy when the runs dried up, calling for a ridiculous run which if we'd hit the stumps would have seen him well short of his ground. Then Evans called him through for a risky one which would have been close if we'd hit the stumps and it didn't miss by much. After those two near run outs, Wells just left everything he could leave and blocked everything he couldn't. If we don't get him early after lunch we might well regret letting him off the hook

I was less impressed with Salisbury that I thought I would be. First time I've seen him bowl and he was poor if I'm honest. A 4 ball every over meant the batsmen could just see Rushy off at the other end. There were 2 juicy half volleys driven through extra cover, 1 full on the pads clipped through square leg and a wide one which was dabbed through to third man. Everything else they were able to leave comfortably until the next bad ball came along. Weighell was much better when he replaced him. Rushy and Raine looked by some margin the class bowlers in our line up, causing them all sorts of problems.... lots of playing and missing. Weighell doesn't look that fast but he's tall and seems to get a lot of bounce. The batsmen were fooled into thinking they could take him on and it turned out they couldn't.

All in all a satisfactory session, just got to keep it up this afternoon

[Durhamfootman]

Always good to see middle stumps cartwheeling out of the ground, btw. Evans looked annoyed with himself as well he should.... he'd been batting like an idiot, chasing after everything and got what he deserved

[captaincolly]

70/6. And a dropped catch. They've got to take advantage here. 120 all out at the very worst.