Durham Match Thread 2019

[captaincolly]

139 all out.
Surely Eckersley should be playing. The games we've won were thanks to the openers. The middle order looks very iffy. Lees did pretty well and Handscomb is a quality player but not sure about the rest of them!

[captaincolly]

48/0 after 5.1 overs and that includes a maiden from Carse of all people.
Make that 56/0 after 5.3!

[captaincolly]

Good news - Potts has a wicket.
Bad news- Maxwell is in.

[captaincolly]

Short has got rid of him but the required rate is under 6. Jennings in to a warm reception.

[captaincolly]

And a warm reception back to the pavilion!
Won't matter though with 5 an over needed.

[captaincolly]

They've done reasonably well with the ball. Another 20 runs might have been enough.
5 down now but just 20 needed from 20 balls.

[Durhamfootman]

I had an early night, tonight

I went home at 131-8. I'd seen this game before and I knew what the ending looked like, so I saved myself the grief of death by a thousand cuts

masterclass in the field from Lancs. This was the first home game where we were completely unable to turn ones into two's which is why the score was so far under par. If we were to have any chance against a side like Lancs it was going to be our top order who would have to do it. Steel lost his patience after two dot balls, stepped across a short ball and tried to spoon it over the keepers head, but instead he just lobbed it into the keepers hands..... to which Vilas said "thank you very much". Dame D'Arcy top edged a pull shot straight up into the air... to which Vilas said "thank you very much", and then Clark somehow missed a straight one from Parkinson when well set. Not sure whether the ball turned more than he thought, less than he thought, or it was slower than he thought, but he ended up being done like a kipper. After that we fiddled about in true Durham circa 2004-2010 style. Not only could we not turn ones into twos, but Lancs were also working hard turning fours into twos. The great leader shovelled one over to long off, somebody else missed another straight one from Parkinson and I'd seen enough. Parkinson took 2 good wickets in his first over where he deceived the batsmen, but after that we just threw our wickets at him

Lancs were terrific in the field. Bags of energy, the field constantly changing. They chased everything down and they appeared to be communicating with hand signals, which is not something I've seen before, so it intrigued me. It was like watching the old style bookies at a race track, but it's clearly something they've worked on because everyone seemed to know what they were doing. It was a masterful performance in the field, really. I have no idea how many times we found the boundary, but it can't have been many and it certainly couldn't have been enough to win a world cup

One very humorous moment early in our innings. Mahmood (no, the other one) conceded his first runs after Steel defended the ball to cover or point (I couldn't tell which from my vantage point), making no attempt to run........ the fielder threw the ball hard at Vilas who was running in towards the stumps. The ball was aimed slightly behind Vilas who lost his footing as he turned to take the ball, missed it and it ran away to the fine leg fielder who was up on the circle. He somehow contrived to dive over the top of the ball and it ran away for four. Absolutely comical to watch for everyone, except Mahmood who was spitting feathers. Probably got the biggest cheer of the night.... might have been the only thing worth cheering. There was one other mis-field late in the innings which might have been the only time we turned a one into a two

All in all, a thoroughly disappointing, but largely predictable night

[Durhamfootman]

we aren't getting any sort of momentum going this year. win one lose one, end up bottom half of the table, I reckon

Pity really..... I was looking forward to seeing Dame D'Arcy and Bangers taking on the world

hey ho!

[Durhamfootman]

here's a thought...... something I asked the capt the other night.... why is Ben Raine in the side?

he hit his top score tonight.... 8!

he's only been bowling a couple of overs at best and he's been getting caned when he has been bowling. Tonight he didn't get the ball

Why aren't we resting him up for the remaining CC matches?

[Durhamfootman]

my apologies to Ben... he scored 13 against Northants to give him a grand total of 37 runs from his 5 innings

he's bowled 7 overs, taken 1 wicket and conceded 74 runs

and he got away with a flogging at Worcs because he only bowled 1 over, so his figures haven't been skewed by Messrs Guptill and Wessels

Harte has been in the squad for the last couple of matches. Perhaps we ought to be thinking about giving him a turn in the side

we don't want to be playing Ben Raine into a period of poor form ahead of what may be crucial promotion matches in the CC, imo

[captaincolly]

I had an early night, tonight

I went home at 131-8. I'd seen this game before and I knew what the ending looked like, so I saved myself the grief of death by a thousand cuts

masterclass in the field from Lancs. This was the first home game where we were completely unable to turn ones into two's which is why the score was so far under par. If we were to have any chance against a side like Lancs it was going to be our top order who would have to do it. Steel lost his patience after two dot balls, stepped across a short ball and tried to spoon it over the keepers head, but instead he just lobbed it into the keepers hands..... to which Vilas said "thank you very much". Dame D'Arcy top edged a pull shot straight up into the air... to which Vilas said "thank you very much", and then Clark somehow missed a straight one from Parkinson when well set. Not sure whether the ball turned more than he thought, less than he thought, or it was slower than he thought, but he ended up being done like a kipper. After that we fiddled about in true Durham circa 2004-2010 style. Not only could we not turn ones into twos, but Lancs were also working hard turning fours into twos. The great leader shovelled one over to long off, somebody else missed another straight one from Parkinson and I'd seen enough. Parkinson took 2 good wickets in his first over where he deceived the batsmen, but after that we just threw our wickets at him

Lancs were terrific in the field. Bags of energy, the field constantly changing. They chased everything down and they appeared to be communicating with hand signals, which is not something I've seen before, so it intrigued me. It was like watching the old style bookies at a race track, but it's clearly something they've worked on because everyone seemed to know what they were doing. It was a masterful performance in the field, really. I have no idea how many times we found the boundary, but it can't have been many and it certainly couldn't have been enough to win a world cup

One very humorous moment early in our innings. Mahmood (no, the other one) conceded his first runs after Steel defended the ball to cover or point (I couldn't tell which from my vantage point), making no attempt to run........ the fielder threw the ball hard at Vilas who was running in towards the stumps. The ball was aimed slightly behind Vilas who lost his footing as he turned to take the ball, missed it and it ran away to the fine leg fielder who was up on the circle. He somehow contrived to dive over the top of the ball and it ran away for four. Absolutely comical to watch for everyone, except Mahmood who was spitting feathers. Probably got the biggest cheer of the night.... might have been the only thing worth cheering. There was one other mis-field late in the innings which might have been the only time we turned a one into a two

All in all, a thoroughly disappointing, but largely predictable night

Excellent report! That middle order has to be a concern - even taking into account how strong Lancs are - Raine seeks to be batting too high and, with Handscomb here, would Poynter be playing if he wasn't csptsin?

[captaincolly]

Almost 7000 in attendance according to Martin Emmerson.

[Durhamfootman]

did feel bigger than the Northants game, once all the stragglers arrived


because of the traffic problems the other night on Park Rd Central, I drove in from the Front St. Driving down Ropery lane there were a lot of people heading to the ground.... almost a continuous stream of punters from the top of the road to the bottom, which was good to see

the only down side that perhaps needs attention is the parking at the ground. Fortunately it doesn't affect me, but once the whole area (including grassy areas) has been filled up (and it was even full on Wed evening) it seems to take a long time to get the cars away. That might end up becoming a deterrent just as gates are beginning on an upward trend. Might require some additional thought.

Players seem to be on autograph duty after every game, atm, which I heartily approve of

[captaincolly]

did feel bigger than the Northants game, once all the stragglers arrived


because of the traffic problems the other night on Park Rd Central, I drove in from the Front St. Driving down Ropery lane there were a lot of people heading to the ground.... almost a continuous stream of punters from the top of the road to the bottom, which was good to see

the only down side that perhaps needs attention is the parking at the ground. Fortunately it doesn't affect me, but once the whole area (including grassy areas) has been filled up (and it was even full on Wed evening) it seems to take a long time to get the cars away. That might end up becoming a deterrent just as gates are beginning on an upward trend. Might require some additional thought.

Players seem to be on autograph duty after every game, atm, which I heartily approve of

Yeah. Those signing sessions are a great idea. There was a tweet from the club just after the game finished asking for patience for those exiting the car park " as there may be some delays."

[Durhamfootman]

amazing isn't it?

Worcs spank us to within an inch of our life, with Guptill and Wessels running rampant through our bowling..... and then they get torn apart by Leics, who we spanked twice and look a particularly ordinary side, with Will Davis (who we've been feasting on in this and the one day cup) taking 3 wickets for 24 runs, and Guppy and the dreaded Wessels bobbling along to scores of 12 and 17 at run a ball pace

and all on a subbuteo sized pitch at Worcester

It's a daft game at times

Lancs are the team to beat this year