Durham match thread 2023

[Durhamfootman]

we're motoring now

lead is 364. I wonder what the declaration target is?

[Durhamfootman]

Jonesy has 114 with 11 fours and 5 sixes

all bar the opening bowlers are going for 6 an over or more, so we have the pedal to the metal

there doesn't seem to be any spin alarms, judging by their figures

[captaincolly]

we're motoring now

lead is 364. I wonder what the declaration target is?

I think there will be extra overs today to make up for the lost ones yesterday. We surely won't need it but I'd be looking to get around 500 in front- should still allow plenty of overs at them before the close.
It just seems to me to be a situation where a conservative declaration isn't a cautious one because there's so much time left...although if there's any doubt about the weather then they should probably be looking to get them in not too long after tea.

[captaincolly]

50 overs left and 393 in front. So we could get 500 without eating up too many of them

[captaincolly]

Declared! Target is 425 - seems unnecessarily bold with 40 odd overs left in the day but this ultra aggressive approach has worked so far.

[Durhamfootman]

has Coughlin gone off injured?

we have them 4 down, but it's not ideal to lose a bowler when trying to bowl a side out

a very rapid 67 off 36 balls from Robbo to set the declaration up. He's been a very good signing.

[Durhamfootman]

still playing at 7pm

we have 6

they need nearly 250

hopefully we can wrap this up early in the morning

[captaincolly]

Barring any disasters it should be fairly straightforward tomorrow but I still think that declaration was an unnecessary risk with 140 or so overs in the game.
Robinson must be up there with our best signings.

[captaincolly]

has Coughlin gone off injured?

we have them 4 down, but it's not ideal to lose a bowler when trying to bowl a side out

a very rapid 67 off 36 balls from Robbo to set the declaration up. He's been a very good signing.

Apparently Coughlin did go off injured. Don't know if he returned.
According to Emmerson Robinson missed out on the record for the fastest CC half century by just one ball.

[Durhamfootman]

blimey... I didn't know that

[Durhamfootman]

Barring any disasters it should be fairly straightforward tomorrow but I still think that declaration was an unnecessary risk with 140 or so overs in the game.

it's the being prepared to lose to get the win philosophy

I like it, if I'm honest. I've spent years grumbling about overly cautious declarations where we spend so much time taking the loss out of the equation that we end up drawing (England too), that I can't now complain about declarations where losing is a possibility

[captaincolly]

blimey... I didn't know that

Second fastest for the club that is - although apparently it is the fastest by any player in the CC since 2017.

[Durhamfootman]

Ah right.... still an impressive knock, though. He seems happy to play that role of pushing our rate up at the expense of his own personal landmarks, an approach of which Stokes would probably approve.

With the new approach, there will be times where we end up losing a match in the manner that Yorkshire lost to us and the temptation will be to bemoan being overly generous, but that's the new deal at Durham. The way I look at it, we either go with it, or risk going back to the rubbish we've had to swallow for the last few years.

Of course T20 season is upon us, so we might have to go back to being rubbish in that anyway. After the first couple of matches last year, I was only going to T20 matches because I liked the chicken gyros from the greek chippy van.

[captaincolly]

Barring any disasters it should be fairly straightforward tomorrow but I still think that declaration was an unnecessary risk with 140 or so overs in the game.

it's the being prepared to lose to get the win philosophy

I like it, if I'm honest. I've spent years grumbling about overly cautious declarations where we spend so much time taking the loss out of the equation that we end up drawing (England too), that I can't now complain about declarations where losing is a possibility

I agree, much better to be bold but I was thinking that with 46 overs left in the day we would have had enough time to get 500 plus and eradicate any chance of losing while still having more than enough time to take 10 wickets. I suppose though that they felt 420 was not achievable and wanted as many overs as possible to get them out....and it looks like it will work!

[captaincolly]

Ah right.... still an impressive knock, though. He seems happy to play that role of pushing our rate up at the expense of his own personal landmarks, an approach of which Stokes would probably approve.

With the new approach, there will be times where we end up losing a match in the manner that Yorkshire lost to us and the temptation will be to bemoan being overly generous, but that's the new deal at Durham. The way I look at it, we either go with it, or risk going back to the rubbish we've had to swallow for the last few years.

Of course T20 season is upon us, so we might have to go back to being rubbish in that anyway. After the first couple of matches last year, I was only going to T20 matches because I liked the chicken gyros from the greek chippy van.

Yes, they're clearly going for the ultra positive style and it is working. Very entertaining to watch and , as you say.a refreshing change after the last few years.
T20 break might have a good impact - not holding out much hope for the competition but it might mean the players injured/unavailable will be available for the CC promotion push.