Durham Match Thread 2026

[Durhamfootman]

well, we are playing

I half expected these umpires to decide that the warm sunny weather this morning had opened up cracks in the previously damp pitch making it a tripping hazard, or something equally ludicrous

I guess we try and rattle the lead up to 350 as quickly as we can and try and get them in for a few overs before lunch.... although we've lost two wickets this morning, which might equally be a good thing if it's the pitch that's misbehaving and not us

[Durhamfootman]

Around the counties, there have been 50 or 60 wickets taken by spinners, so thank goodness we didn't pick one

[Durhamfootman]

crapinfo's report says that the pitch yesterday was exposed to heavy rain, snow and high winds

1 out of 3 ain't bad

[Durhamfootman]

another wicket falls

5 down with a 250 lead. Not what I was expecting this morning. Bedders still there on 48

[Durhamfootman]

6 down FFS. Bedders no longer there on 48

[Durhamfootman]

7 down

nobody can score any runs

Might be just as well that we had that 200 lead at the end of day 2

I wonder what will happen to the pitch when Kent get the heavy roller on it... might make it as flat as a pancake

[Durhamfootman]

If this first hour is any indication, then there's going to be a result today, one way or another, I reckon

now I'm scared

[Durhamfootman]

Stokes is here bowling during the lunch interval

Looks as though he’s moving freely

[Durhamfootman]

Northeast didn’t seem happy about the declaration. Had a long discussion with the umpires. We declared the moment the last ball before lunch was bowled. I got the impression he was about to ask for the extra half hour before lunch, which would have meant had we declared one ball later, there would have been a 2 over deduction for the turn around time.

If I understand it correctly there is now no 2 over deduction

[Durhamfootman]

Kent had the field back all the time I was here to slow our scoring down ahead of any declaration. If that was still the case earlier, it makes the clatter of wickets even more puzzling

[Durhamfootman]

Target is 357. Will Kent be tempted by that? Probably not, given NE’s reaction to our declaration

There were no bowling alarms for BR and MP, although the ball that cartwheeled KR’s middle stump out of the ground might have kept low…… not sure

[Durhamfootman]

There aren’t many finer sights in cricket than watching stump smeared out of the ground

Even better when it belongs to Sam Northeast

[Durhamfootman]

We’ve just put DBD down at second slip

[andy]

Now watching this game on the stream flicking between this and Lancashire Vs northants

[andy]

Ackerman into the attack before tea don't expect him to find much spin here if any