Durham Match Thread 2024

[captaincolly]

300 lead, it's taken longer than I expected to get there so hopefully that's a sign batting is getting more difficult.
I still think this line-up is a bit fragile even with that huge first innings total- there's bound to be games where Bedingham and Robinson both fail (or Robinson isn't playing) and I'm not convinced about the rest of that line-up apart from Lees .

[Durhamfootman]

47 for Borthwick at tea. Lead is 353

what do we think..... bat for an hour and get up to 400 then declare, or do we think we can make the game absolutely safe, put them in for 8 or 10 overs before close and trust that the day 4 pitch helps us bowl them out tomorrow?

[Durhamfootman]

Siddle's doing okay for us this year. Now I know he benefited from not being with us when the massive snore fest part of the season was with us, but he has 10 wickets @ 16's in the 3 matches up to now. Hopefully he'll get another 2 or 3 before close tomorrow

[captaincolly]

Siddle's doing okay for us this year. Now I know he benefited from not being with us when the massive snore fest part of the season was with us, but he has 10 wickets @ 16's in the 3 matches up to now. Hopefully he'll get another 2 or 3 before close tomorrow

That's good. I think before this game Raine was the leading wicket taker with 17.

[captaincolly]

47 for Borthwick at tea. Lead is 353

what do we think..... bat for an hour and get up to 400 then declare, or do we think we can make the game absolutely safe, put them in for 8 or 10 overs before close and trust that the day 4 pitch helps us bowl them out tomorrow?

I think I'd take the cautious approach but have a feeling they won't. Might depend in part on if they can up the rate after tea, although if they can thar might be a reason to be cautious!

[captaincolly]

Ackermann out straight after tea so that doesn't help.

[Durhamfootman]

Borthwick falls for 71 after going on the charge a bit

lead is 385. I thought they might declare, but Raine has come out

[Durhamfootman]

and Raine survives 2 balls. Bas is on 6 from 33 balls

time to declare boys, time to declare

[Durhamfootman]

but we don't

19 overs left in the day. As long as we don't bat more than 7 overs. We'll want at least 10 overs at them tonight

[Durhamfootman]

feels a bit slow. There are 19 overs left in the day at 5.30pm and Essex have bowled 26 overs of spin in their 47 overs

[Durhamfootman]

Bas is cranking it up, lead is over 400

Potts has a couple of fours too, so we're definitely batting with a declaration in mind

[Durhamfootman]

15 off Snater's last over and 9 off Harmer the over before

maybe the pitch isn't breaking up after all

[Durhamfootman]

last 5 overs have brought us 45 runs

[Durhamfootman]

Harmer gets Bas and we have declared

Essex need 433

[captaincolly]

We're clear favourites but the equation isn't as tough as I'd have liked. At lunchtime I was hoping for a lead closer to 500 and at a more challenging rate.
Browne out just now though!