Durham Match Thread 2019

[captaincolly]

9 down. Carse with 6 wickets and is the one bowler who has looked dangerous on this pitch. Must be the extra pace.

[captaincolly]

All out. Deficit is 308.

[captaincolly]

Lively start. Big lbw appeal turned down and then Handscomb putting down a sharp slip catch.

[captaincolly]

It's all gone a bit flat again. No real scares apart from the last over before tea when Steel came on and almost took a wicket first ball. Carse still the most likely match winner but he needs handling carefully. Might be worth keeping Steel on for a few overs.

[captaincolly]

Excellent catch by Eckersley to get the breakthrough.

[captaincolly]

Handy wicket for Steel in the final over and new ball due before lunch tomorrow. Should be able to win this but the lead is down to 150 so obviously time may become an issue if they're not out before tea.

[Durhamfootman]

they don't seem to have much of a tail, so the next 4 wickets are vital....... As you say....handy for us starting a new day, with a new ball and then a lunch break to help matters.

Glammy got spanked and now Derby in a good position to deny Gloucs the win tomorrow.

Could be us and Northants tied in second by this time tomorrow, if our bowlers can do the business

[Durhamfootman]

no... I've got that wrong looking at the table. If Gloucs take a draw they will stay second on 140 points, 16 points would put us one point behind on 139 with Northants already on 138

all very tight

the last 3 games will all be vital. I'd fancy us to beat Glammy up here (unless fat Sam is still with them and he decides to put in a MOM performance), not so sure about the MIddle at Lords, which makes the Northants game at WR pretty pivotal and I rather think we'd be evenly matched, with both teams in good order. That could be where promotion is won or lost. If we lose to the MIddle we will have no choice but to beat Northants (who play Gloucs in the season ender).

Sussex and Gloucs still have to meet and Gloucs still have to play Lancs yet, as do the Middle if they beat us and get themselves back in contention, so forget boring div 1 cricket, div 2 is where the late season drama will be.

[Durhamfootman]

top 50 highest run partnerships conceded so far this season

8 Leics
7 Northants
6 Gloucs
6 Glamorgan
6 Sussex
6 Worcs
5 Derby
4 Middlesex
1 Lancs
1 Durham

surprised me, tbh..... and ours was one of the lower ones, the 140 by Wessels (of course) and Dell for the 5th wicket at Worcester back in May when we were at our lowest ebb

[Durhamfootman]

top 50 highest run partnerships scored this season

10 Glamorgan
6 Durham
6 Gloucs
6 Worcs
5 Lancs
5 Northants
5 Derby
3 Sussex
2 Leics
2 Middlesex

this surprised me too

[Durhamfootman]

looking at the top 50 most wickets league, it strikes me that in Div 2 we have to go all the way down the table to number 32 to find a spinner on the list... Marnus Labuschagne with 19, then we drop to 42 for Dolly with 14 and then Keogh with 13.

46 wickets for 3 bowlers ranked in the top 50 wicket takers

Compare that to div 1

Harmer 65 wickets
Patel 53 wickets
Leach 29
Batty 26
Maharaj 24 (4 matches)
Ashwin 23 (3 matches)
Bess 22

242 wickets for 7 bowlers ranked in the top 50 wicket takers

If we were to get promoted, somebody needs to show that to whoever is sorting out next year's overseas professional, because with the spin bowling at our disposal we'll get absolutely crucified at Chelmsford, Edgbaston, Taunton, the Oval, places where spin wins matches and where pitches are prepared so that spin can win matches

our front line spinner has 4 wickets this season at nearly 90

hey..... perhaps he'd get more wickets at these venues, but I wouldn't want to gamble div 1 survival on it

[Durhamfootman]

Membership card has arrived. Sir Ian a little less bullish in his letter - a desire to " finish strongly" rather than predictions of promotion.
And they have named the touring party without a captain! Interesting name in the squad is Ned Eckersley who is on trial. Pretty modest FC average of 31 but someone who I think would at the very least be a useful squad member - another wicketkeeping option too!
https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/news-an ... hefstroom/

or ultra reliable player with immediate captaincy potential

[captaincolly]

Membership card has arrived. Sir Ian a little less bullish in his letter - a desire to " finish strongly" rather than predictions of promotion.
And they have named the touring party without a captain! Interesting name in the squad is Ned Eckersley who is on trial. Pretty modest FC average of 31 but someone who I think would at the very least be a useful squad member - another wicketkeeping option too!
https://www.durhamcricket.co.uk/news-an ... hefstroom/

or ultra reliable player with immediate captaincy potential

think I might have underestimated him! He has been outstanding. I missed the last couple of wickets on Monday but apparently he got Handscomb to field at leg gully, had a chat with the bowler and next bsll was a wicket!
Still hard to fathom out why he's not been in the T20 side.

[Durhamfootman]

perhaps they were worried that Poynter might get lured away by Notts

[captaincolly]

perhaps they were worried that Poynter might get lured away by Notts

No such luck! I suspect Poynter will still be in charge on Friday ...or could it be Eckersley given he has replaced Bancroft who presumably would have been keeping in the T20.
A few spots of rain this morning but the sun is out now. I'm hoping it'll be a fairly straightforward win but suspect it might not be unless we strike early.