Durham Match Thread 2026

[Durhamfootman]

well, there you go.... one and a half overs to go, the wind having dropped completely and with the sun shining in the sky, the umpires end play for bad light.

you couldn't make it up really. It took Kent an age to bowl 78 overs

[Durhamfootman]

apparently we dropped Muyeye on nought

[captaincolly]

I was planning on going yesterday but had to do dog sitting!
Seems to have been a decent day - probably should have made 400 plus given Gay's contribution but a total that looks handy right now with Zac out early.
Problem will be if/when the ball goes soft and the pitch flattens out - that bowling attack could become toothless in that scenario so it's vital to make early inroads this morning.
Aldridge will need to hit the ground running, handy contribution with the bat yesterday

[Durhamfootman]

well, this is very frustrating. We've had one delay for rain (no rain at all here) and now they're off for bad light.... yet like last night, we have floodlights available. They were certainly being used yesterday morning, so why not now?

anyway.... Northeast still there, of course, on 60, but our strategy seems to be to take the wickets of everyone else, which we are doing pretty well

Northeast 60*, but only Muyeye (10) and Benjamin (19) have made it to double figures. 133-7

2 each for BR, MP and Kasey Jones. 1 for Roach and only he is going for a few, the rest are bowling tightly.

Back on now and Milnes seems to fancy having a go. Last season this is the point where we'd start to concede 50 or 100 partnerships. I'd be happier if Northeast was out

[Durhamfootman]

we have conceded 10 runs in NB's... all from Roach

[Durhamfootman]

Milnes out for 8. Matty P.

136-8

[Durhamfootman]

Lets hope that the two SA bowlers can't bat

[Durhamfootman]

50 run 9th wicket partnership...... of course

Northeast getting ever closer to his hundred.... naturally

[Durhamfootman]

It has also taken them past the follow on target

[Durhamfootman]

got him... Roach

great take low down from Robbo... that was really good

not Northeast, of course, he's still there

[Durhamfootman]

197 ao

Northeast tried to inch his way from 89 to 100, taking a single off the last couple in the over and refusing to run off anything else. We had one slip and everyone else on the fence because we knew he wouldn't run. He got to 94 with this approach, then Kemar bowled one a little shorter, he tried to lift it over the keeper... didn't

Roach ended up with 3 wickets, to slightly disguise the fact that he was a little wayward earlier. He came back pretty well though and mopped up the tail

Pottsy and the Canonball express, both bowled 8 over spells and asked loads of questions. Dudgeon played and missed at loads, but wasn't good enough to find the edge, so his 22 was particularly annoying, because these two dried the runs up really well, but had very little luck

lead is 138, tea has been taken and the covers are on because it's dark, cold and starting to rain. That might end up being that for the day, but we'll see

[captaincolly]

I got here during the rain. Has brightened up now and the covers are coming off.
The inevitable lower order partnership to reduce what should have been around a 200 lead to under 150. Could have been worse. Hopefully Roach was just rusty, we've been lacking someone who can come on and end the annoyingly predictable lower order partnerships.


Encouraging start from Potts after his struggles last year.
If things go as they usually do there'll be a clatter of wickets so I just hope we don't end up regretting conceding those extra 50/60 runs.

[Durhamfootman]

crikey... a life for Bedders. Leading edge straight back to the bowler, who couldn't take it. It was quite high, which was probably the only thing that saved him there

[Durhamfootman]

So... Lees out leaving a ball that jagged back a bit and knocked off stump out of the ground

Gay tried to flick a leg side ball round the corner, but only turned it to a leg slip that was presumably waiting for exactly that. Juggled it a bit, but held on. It wasn't that far down leg, so looked like a plan

70-2, with 22 overs left in the day. Lead is 208

[Durhamfootman]

off for the light again

83-2

still 18 overs remaining, enough for a 300 run overnight lead, but whether we'll get the chance remains to be seen