Back to the bad old days

posted by John Winn

Like Brian I headed north to The Riverside yesterday to see bottom of the table Durham take on Somerset. In the corresponding match last year played in the same week but in much different conditions, Mustard won the toss and put Somerset in and after losing Suppiah for nought they made 610 for 6 with Compton hitting 254 not out. Compton is absent from this year's match, on Lions duty, and the Somerset side had a very youthful look. This time Somerset skipper Hildreth called correctly and one can safely assume had no hesitation in putting Durham in. By lunch they had reached 88 for 3 which in the prevailing conditions and in their current form was not a bad effort. With the sun shining hopes were expressed that the pitch would become easier and a useful score might be built. Like the visitors Durham were weakened, in their case by injuries to Stokes and Benkenstein, although had he been fit Stokes too would have been with the Lions.
The immediate post lunch took seasoned watchers back to the 1990s for in very short time Durham were bowled out for 125, losing their last five wickets for eight runs and little blame could be placed on the pitch. Somerset bowled straight, pitched it up and Durham crumbled. No worse shot was played than that by skipper Mustard whose return to the pavilion was met in silence. This was the fourth time Durham have been bowled out for under two hundred this season.
When Somerset batted it looked as though their innings might go the same way for Suppiah was out first ball and Barrow followed shortly after. When Hildreth was out it was 45 for 4 but their position was rescued by Kieswetter, Trego and Meschede and by close they had a lead of 95 with two wickets in hand. Almost a full day's play was possible in contrast to Bristol and Hove where there was no play and things were little better at the other four venues. The rain  move steadily up from the south and as I travelled back to York by train the first spots were on the carriage windows at about Thirsk. Today's forecast for Chester le Street  is a dismal one but if Friday and Saturday should prove to be fine then Durham may find it hard to avoid their third defeat of the season and there only comfort is likely to be three bowling points.