A good toss to lose

Posted by John Winn

I arrived at The Riverside at 11:10 this morning with mixed feelings; a bit annoyed to be late, surprised to find Durham had won the toss and offered Somerset's strong batting line up first use of a wicket on which the average first innings score in the previous two games this season has been over 350, but pleased to see the board showing 8 for 1 with Suppiah out for nought. That was as good as it was going to get for the Durham supporters for the second wicket partnership between Trescothick and Compton added 249 until shortly before tea Borthwick had the Somerset captain caught for 144, 98 of which had come in boundaries. The crowd was very generous in its applause for a magnificent innings. Trescothick was particularly severe on Brathwaite who had made his debut for Durham in the corresponding match last season when Durham's obdurate batting on the last day did much to deprive Somerset of their first championship.Brathwaite has made a promising start to this season but today must have served as a reality check, he went for almost eighty runs off his seventeen overs and wicketless.
If Durham thought that Trescothick's dismissal could somehow provide an opportunity for the home side to make Mustard's decision to put Somerset in look a master stroke then they were to be disappointed, for the post tea session yielded 124 runs and Compton remains to bat on tomorrow on 149 not out out of a total of 383 for 4.
Other commitments, including a day at Headingley, will prevent me seeing any more of this game but it is hard to see Durham salvaging any more than a draw.After a disappointing start to the season Somerset are beginning to justify their position as pre-season favourites,and they were without Kieswetter today who has been in excellent form.