Given that Yorkshire County Cricket Club had responded with a second wicket stand 280 on Friday evening August 30th, 2013 I set off for the two 20 20 International games at Durham Emirates ICG at the Riverside Chester Le Street early on Saturday full of anticipation and confident that I had made the right decision to return home and not arrange to stay for the concluding day of the top of the championship table contest. The result would be a draw. I was wrong and there was to be Durham glory at Scarborough and then at home..
I had planned my day well assuming that similar to the experience at Birmingham that if I arrived early I would be parked in a good position for an early get away should the game and opportunity merit. This was so and I was parked in the front row with straightforward access away should I wish.
(While I read through my writing I am listening to a magnificent TV recording of a concert with Anna Netebko and Rolando Corazon two of the great contemporary operatic soloists)
The forecast last Saturday was a cold wind and was it a cold wind so I left the vehicle with a shirt, the summer blazer and the Winchester on and even with these buttoned` the wind was cold and unpleasant for the majority of the day as my seat at the back on the lower level of the Durham stand, an end of aisle seat row J number 001 was almost in the shade throughout the day.
I was greeted by a Durham Steward I know from over the years at the entrance directly from the car parks after using the under road tunnel and who I promised to keep informed about any news of Durham’s progress. I am hopeless at estimating crowds but there were several thousand in for the commencement of the Ladies International with Australia where this year for the first time points were awarded for the single Test match and then for the series of one day 50 50 and 20 20 games. By winning their last game the English team had secured the Ashes of a cricket ball first created in the 1980’s.
Throughout the day there were at least a thousand people around the ground, queuing for the toilets, for beer and for food. On my complete tour of the ground I had counted at least thirty assistants waiting in the beer concession along the embankments behind the Durham and new east stands. I enjoyed a coffee for £2 after finding that my usual machine providing supply was out of plastic cups and although it was repaired on Wednesday it was out of order again yesterday. Nor could I get a nutrient bar yesterday with the money slot appearing jammed, eventually revealing a brand new £2 coin, so new and shiny that I suspect a fake. I may try in a change slot at the same vending station when I return in two weeks and if it fails take it to the bank to check out its legitimacy. The machine was demanding the correct price as the change had run out.
Last Saturday the media were provided with meals in this building and the indoor cricket centre appeared to be used as a centre for staff. In addition to the Durham stewards who were in control of ground arrangements a security firm had a large number of officers available and did an excrement on compared to what happened at Edgbaston. No one was allowed to take their seats while an over was in progress and they were also able to show people where to go for their seats. At one point I advised a senior officer that I would write to the ECB to congratulate and to make comparison with what happened at Durham. The concession food prices were significantly better and appeared better value for the money.
The English ladies won the toss and decided to field getting off to great start with the claiming the first wicket at 1 and after that by a steady fall of wickts together with the large boundary meant that Australia were only able to score singles and twos with only five boundaries achieved throughout the innings which ended at 91 for 7. I was able to listen to the commentary on headphones and the point about the size of the boundaries was well made although reducing the boundaries could mean teams concentrating on building their physical strength rather than skills. It was evident that the the Ladies compete on skill rather than crah bang wallop which leads great cricketers like Iain Botham and others unwilling to devote time to the short game which they feel is more akin to baseball than cricket where at least the pitcher (bowler) is given even chance with the surface of the bat restricted than the wider bat
England then carried on as they have over the previous five 40 nd 20mover games and demonstrated their superiority as batswomen. And despite the loss of three wickets for only 14 runs which rang alarm beels form some of the crowd myself included, suspected the celebrations for wnning the Ashes series two evening beforehad taken their toll, a stand of 78 saw a hiome win by seven wickets andnsome 22 balls to spare which is a huge win by any standards.
Bceause of the decision to focus on weight reduction and fitness again I did not stay for presentations and lap of honorough around the ground which felt a betrayal of my support but after a comfort visit I made my way through the member’s entrance car park to the pahway under the road bridge and an into the Riverside Park and across to my car. The area for those who had purchased tickets in advance looked almost full with some cars parked in front but still leaving my vehicle able to exist quickly when I wished. I enjoyed my prepared salad without touching he grapes, having enjoyed some soup on arrival.
As I had left the ground there was a good crowd standing on the walkway overlooking the nets where the two teams were getting ready. Although the crowd had built up steadily during the first match it was evident that a substantial number were arriving for only the men’s match which is disappointing. The radio commentary was talking of nearly full ground of some twenty thousand whereas for the Test I though the maximum capacity was seventeen and indeed not all the blue seats were occupied with several hundred, but no more spaces noted towards the back of the stand.
The atmosphere had built up considerably on returning to my seat and although I witnessed some continuous drinking by a group sitting close by there general atmosphere was of having a good time rather than of wildness although the cricket did appear incidental at times especially for the young people some of whom, of both sexes were scantily dressed, insulated by the drink and perhaps some other stimulants and appeared unconcerned about just how bitter cold it was.
Australia won the toss and decided that England would bat. England made 195 for 5 with Hales making an excellent, I nearly forgive you 94 and Lumb Wright and Morgan all contributing. I anticipated the score would be enough on the Durham wicket but after the extraordinary outcome of the first of the games two nights before, In this the Australians had made 248 for 6 score which had one of the batsmen Finch getting a world record 156 for this limited over game. England had also done well getting one of their highest 20 20 totals with 209 with Root 90 not out, as still no English man has reached a 100 in an international 20 20 event. Bopara reached 45 and Butler 27.
I enjoyed another walk about in sunshine during the interval returning just after the Australian innings commenced and just in time to see captain Broad dispatch Finch for 5 with the total 9 and when Watson was brilliantly run out by Morgan for 7 with the total 15 the crowd were able to relax and enjoy themselves. When Warner went for 45 as the fourth wicket at 111 a win looked certain.
I planned to beat the traffic by leaving with two overs to go and walked quickly to car listening to commentary on the radio. I was surprised that there was no third game in this format enabling one of the sides to win the series 2.1. Yesterday while at Durham an experimental England side went to Ireland for a 50 over game in advance of the game tournament against Australia throughout September.
The International Cricket organisation is keen to increase the number of countries where cricket can become a major sport and where the game develops into Test condition playing as well as Internationals in other formats. This can only help achieve greater commercial clout and increasing earnings for players and financial viability for cricket clubs. Whereas cricket appears failing in Scotland with the national team pulling out of their own regular competition with English clubs losing all their 40 40 over games this season,, in Ireland it has flourished with a number of Irish player playing in the Championship and representing both countries, in fact there is a switching between playing for the England and Ireland as the Irish team grows in strength and pubic interest improves. Two years ago although there was good crowd but the game was rain affected . There year there was an audience of 10000 on a perfect sunny late summer‘s day although when the fixture was arranged for early September there was apprehension about the weather prospects.
Ireland were put into bat by England and performed exceptionally well largely through Porterfield who started showing lack of confidence but with some luck achieved a century batting almost through the innings with 112. Ed Joyce from Sussex who once played for England in this fixture hit his wicket gently dislodging a bail and was out for 21. Other in the lower order contributed and with a total of 26 fours and 3 sixes the team made a total of 269 in their 50 overs.
Michael Carberry , the black Hampshire player got his first play for England at the age of 32 after being selected to the squad but failing to dislodge the tried and trust opened of Hales and Lumb in the 50 over game and who do the same job for Nottingham. He dropped a dolly of a catch and then another more difficult and appeared to go to pieces in his fielding. I hope there was no racism in the relish in which his behaviour was greeted by the partisan Irish crowd and there was also relish in the condemnation for the Irish commentators contributors in the radio relay. I hoped for his sake he would have a good bat but he, Luke Wright from Sussex, and the diminutive James Taylor from Notts, closely followed by Gay Ballance from Yorkshire and England appeared to be in the more at 48 to 4 to a somewhat hysterical crowd. Captain Morgan, an Irish man whose boyhood club he was now playing in Dublin together with Bopara then stuffed the Irish good and proper winning the game with a great stand, possibly an International world record with a stand of some 230 124 and 101 not out respectively. That quietened the crowd demonstrating the great gulf that still exists and the men achieved their victory with nine sixes and eighteen fours. Hee hee!
Ben Stokes of Durham was also given his opportunity and the all rounder for whom the English selectors have had great hopes in the past before his injury and some mixed fortune appearances did not get his opportunity to bat but as given his full ten over allocation but was not able to take a wicket conceding 51 runs, OK in the circumstances and it will be interesting to see if it was enough for him to be selected for the game against Australia at Headingley tomorrow when a day of rain is forecast,
As I explained in my previous writing and here I returned home for the England Australia 20 20 International at Durham ICG having debated to stay for an extra day as Durham dominated Yorkshire at Scarborough until the second and third sessions of the third day when after being asked to follow on at lunch time and losing a quick wicket Jaques and Williamson mounted a record stand of some 262 before the second wicket fell on the morning of the fourth day. Everything still looked set for a draw although I did not know that the last time Yorkshire avoided a home innings defeat was back in 1956.
What happened net has already become a Durham legend as wickets steadily fell during the morning and early afternoon from 282 for 2 to 284 313 349 351 357 and then only a stand with Plunket 42 prevented an immediate collapse with further wickets at 410 and 419 and 419. This left Durham to get 120 odd runs with some 38 overs. They gained the required runs with 10 overs to after Stoneman had gone for 0 after his first innings match winning 120 along with the centuries from Stokes and Richardson.
The victory meant that Durham closed the gap at the top of the table establishing themselves with 179.5 to Yorkshire’s 185 but with a game in hand. Sussex to Durham commenced to play for the first time this season at the ICG are in third position with 156 but have played one more game although a win would bring them into contention and Middlesex also with the extra game played could not be ruled with 150 points. One goes back to the first season when Durham won the Champion and they sneaked ahead as other teams failed to win. Nothing in cricket in certain until the eight challenged ladies sings! Although Notts have only 1 point more that Somerset in 7th position they also have the extra game to play. Similarly Derbyshire have played one game less on 91 points to Somerset’s 91. Surrey at the close of lay on Saturday had only 76 points but were still playing their 12th game. They won the game against Derby to revise position and take a 1 point lead and with a game in hand.
This was the perspective in which I attend the crucial game against Sussex over two days of glorious hot early September weather having decided not to visit Brighton and still with a cough which could go either way.
Durham won the toss and elected to bat on the same wicket on which the 20 20 games were played on Saturday. The first day proved a strange one as apart from Stoneman Durham struggled to score as the ball appeared to have that extra bounce and twist. With the forecast of heavy continuous rain on the Friday it appeared that throughout the two divisions every effort was being made to create wickets where a result would be possible in three days. Stoneman made 96 and Durham 245 from just other 75 overs.
It was Graham Onions returning to the side from his broken finger who did the early damage ending with 4 for 50 having had one poor over from which 14 runs were score. Because of injuries to Wood and Harrison after their Yorkshire triumph and with Thorpe also out, Durham called on Claydon to return from his loan at Kent and he seized the opportunity taking 3 for 25. I previously mentioned that i was impressed by Usman Arshad, the recent captain of the second team squad who like Onions bowl wicket to wicket and who dismissed two batsmen in one over in both innings against Surrey. He did the same thing again taking 3 wickets for 16 runs in his second championship game. Rushworth whose evident as the proud granddad while failing to claim a wicket contributed well with giving only 2 runs from his 14 overs and Sussex avoiding the follow on were nevertheless 133 behind on the first innings.
Durham had scored 212 for six at the close of play a lead of 345 and with every prospect of a win on Thursday although I anticipate that the team will bat out until at least lunch time given what happened with the declaration against Yorkshire. Everyone contributed some runs but a stand of 93 between Collingwood and Mustard was crucial with Collingwood out 45 and Mustard not out 57 with Arshad 14.
Elsewhere low first innings scores were something of the order of the day. Somerset collapsed all out for 103 against Derby but after dismissing the home side for 298 have rallied to 234 for 4 and this game could still go either way. Surrey looked doomed again when they were all out to Middlesex for 145 but they too are rallying after Middlesex had scored 294 but are 133 for 5 although they are still likely to win if they gamble and declare with the threat of heavy rain tomorrow. Notts and Warwickshire looks as if a draw is likely while Yorkshire sit and watch. Lancs are also sitting out this week while Northants had a good chance of reinforcing their claim to first or second spot and promotion with over 400 runs on the first day but in one day form Hants are 160.2 to a draw again looks likely while Essex look likely stepping up their challenge with a first innings of 351 and dismissing for102 a lead f 251. Worcester are still some 80 runs behind with 7 wickets left at the end of the second day.
This was rhe scene I set off n another warm to hot day although there was much cloud about and indeed the temperature also dropped significantly as the afternoon commenced. Although Durham decided to bat on it was evident that batsmen had been given instructions not to hand about. Overnight Mustard was 57 and Arshad 16 with the total 212 for 6. They went in to 268 fir 8 setting Susses 401 to win Mustard went fir 73, Arshad 34 and Claydon and Rushworth achieved he required target for declaration. With the use of the heavy roller I did not think the pitch offered as much bounce and swing as it had over the previous two days. Although Wells with the total four Yardy and Nash appeared confident and score good runs before a sudden collapse again with wickets falling 71 73 77 and 82 and 82 for 6 there was the scent of a thrashing but with more clouds the sky darkened and the possibility of bad light rather than rain occurred to me for a short while. Fortunately the sun shone again and this heralded the demise of the opposition with wickets going at 104 110 and 110 and Durham won by a massive 286 runs and topped he Championship table.
The problem Sussex encountered was not Onion or Rushworth who bowled well but Claydon and Arshad who again took three wickets apiece as they had in the first innings and extraordinarily special young Arshad again took two wickets in an over, the fourth time in four innings. Claydon who has signed a contract to play for Kent year smutch figures of 6 for 56 and Arshad 6 for 34 with Onions 7 for 86 and Rushworth 1 for 41 in 31 overs and remarkable set of records.
Alas Middlesex beat Surrey by 146 to make their situation more perilous while Somerset and Derby are the only game able to continue to day because of the continuous rain everywhere else. At the time of writing just before lunch at 12.30 with the earlier starts in September at 10.30 Derbyshire require 56 to win with Chanderpaul at the crease. Derby got Somerset out for 103 in their first innings but the home side rallied with 428 the total 541 for the match. Derby did well in their first innings with 298 but at 127 for 5 he game looked to being towards Somerset.
The table at present has Durham played thirteen 8 wins and 199.5 points and Yorks with 6 wins from their 13 games and 185 points so only for Durham to lose or draw in one game will Yorks take over at the top again. Sussex who have played one more game are on 159 so Middlesex on 150 will take third position if they will their extra game. If Derby win they will leap from bottom above Surrey and Somerset and with a point of two of Notts, Thirty Four runs are now needed but two more wickets have fallen but Chanderpaul is still at the increase. Chanderpaul who was crucial in the year when Durham won the championship without losing a game has steered Derby to an unexpected 2 wickets win which places them fourth from bottom as there continues to be no play at Nottingham and therefore the anticipated points for a draw are yet to be recorded. As also anticipated England‘s one day game against Australia at Yorkshire has been cancelled without a ball being bowled just to add the woes of the Yorkshire’s faithful.
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