Durham Match Thread 2026

[captaincolly]

Good that Lees got some runs, Clark a key player and we need him to fire.

[Durhamfootman]

Two matches today

back out again

Raine for Aldridge, Big Luke for Potts, Parky for Ghafari, Ackers bowled overs instead of Rhodes

Minto 2 PP overs 2-2. You'd never know that a bit earlier he'd been spraying the ball all over the place. Ended up with 3-14 off his 4. Bowled well

They all bowled well.... too good for Lancs2 who were bowled out for 98. IBR only had to bowl 1 over.... 0-4. Old George looked good again, as did Parky

Robbo opening for Lees. Rhodes at 3

easy win, but Robbo looked all at sea against the leggie, who eventually pinned him in front and Clarky holed out quite early again before really getting going

[Durhamfootman]

we bowled quite a lot of legside wides across the two games and we bowled them in clusters... we bowled 2 in a row 3 or 4 times, and Pottsy bowled 3 in a row

I think we were deliberately targeting leg stump. Minto was bowling over the wicket and wide across the right handers, but in general didn't concede many when he did that, so felt like a deliberate ploy as well.

I'm glad I don't have to pick the side for Friday

McK will be away on lions duty, I think, once his 8 day thing has expired

atm I think I'd be tempted by Clark, Lees, Bedders, Rhodes, Aldridge, Ackermann, Robbo, Raine, Olivier, Parky, Sowter (who wasn't involved today), but I could see a case for Mustard taking the gloves and maybe even a case for Clark taking the gloves to get Potts into the side and he probably should be in the side

I wouldn't let Aldridge bowl, leave him to bat and catch. He still looks like a regular 10 runs an over bowler to me

I have no idea what Olivier's batting looks like, but I look at our batting line up and don't see much in the way of fireworks after the top 3. I think we're going to need good bowling plans if we want to replicate last year's improvement and our fingers crossed that Olivier doesn't turn out to be one of those really expensive wicket taking bowlers

[Durhamfootman]

a quick glance at crapinfo and Olivier has number 11 written all over his batting. 85 runs in 57 matches @ 14, SR 87

he'll have to bowl well

I look around the side and feel like we are an explosive batter short. A couple of early wickets and we suddenly look like a nurdling team

Maybe I'm not giving us enough credit

[Durhamfootman]

Aldridge has 8 T20 wickets in 13 matches and that includes a 5fer. When he bowls he goes at nearly 12 an over

He has 159 runs at SR 138 and a best of 44*

not sparkling, is it?

I do worry about runs in our T20 side. Both Rhodes and Ackers always look like steady accumulators to me. We could do with McKinney being available really

[Durhamfootman]

It can't be good when a completely out of form Robbo looks better than any of the alternatives once the top 3 have fallen

[Durhamfootman]

Where's Jimmy Neesham when you need him?

[captaincolly]

I think you're right. Need to have big hitters right throughout the order and I'm not sure we do. I'm a little surprised we didn't bring in a T20 specialist as the second overseas player.

[Durhamfootman]

Olivier will not be featuring according to Marcus North

makes you wonder what the point was of bringing him over

squad for tomorrow
Colin Ackermann, Kasey Aldridge, David Bedingham, Graham Clark, Alex Lees*, James Minto, Haydon Mustard, Callum Parkinson, Matthew Potts, Ben Raine, Will Rhodes, Luke Robinson, Ollie Robinson+, Nathan Sowter.

[Durhamfootman]

atm I think I'd be tempted by Clark, Lees, Bedders, Rhodes, Aldridge, Ackermann, Robbo, Raine, Olivier, Parky, Sowter (who wasn't involved today), but I could see a case for Mustard taking the gloves and maybe even a case for Clark taking the gloves to get Potts into the side and he probably should be in the side

the announcement about Olivier answers the Potts conundrum

[Durhamfootman]

I hadn't twigged the new format when I looked at the fixture list, but that's because one of the two matches against teams from the other groups is Northants, who've been in our group for about a thousand years

ah those fond memories of halcyon days gone by v Northants....... 79-1 chasing 124 or something and ending up being bowled out for 117 or whatever it was

jeez... that was a night

[Durhamfootman]

beat 'em last year, of course

[Durhamfootman]

and maybe even a case for Clark taking the gloves to get Potts into the side and he probably should be in the side

somebody told me that Clark kept in the second match yesterday. I watched the bloody thing on live stream and didn't realise

clearly I need to 'sharpen up, sonny'

[captaincolly]

I hadn't twigged the new format when I looked at the fixture list, but that's because one of the two matches against teams from the other groups is Northants, who've been in our group for about a thousand years

ah those fond memories of halcyon days gone by v Northants....... 79-1 chasing 124 or something and ending up being bowled out for 117 or whatever it was

jeez... that was a night

There have been a few of those infamous nights!
Not sure why we've decided on Not using a second overseas player, North seemed to link the decision with the desire to give younger players an opportunity. That's a big risk in this format.

[Durhamfootman]

it is a big risk, but not unreasonable as long as it's one at a time. I do think they're keen to get Big Luke involved and I'd like to see Minto play a role.

I've heard a rumour that Stokes is going to turn out for us in the one day cup.... feels far fetched to me, but I suppose there are no CC matches before the Pakistan test series starts in August, so maybe this is the closest he can get to some match practice. Ryan Campbell said it was tough playing 6 games in 7 weeks, but we play another block of 6 in 5 and a half weeks at the end of the season, so all of this suggests to me that the scheduling is still *modded* up...... sorry..... sub optimal!