With the last round of YB40 matches being played on Monday the county championship will pretty much have things to itself until the end of the first class season in five weeks. Surrey, who thanks to Derbyshire's win over Middlesex yesterday are now bottom of the 'live table', have responded to their parlous position in seemingly the only way they know, by spending big. With Graham Smith and Ricky Ponting already having worn the brown cap this season but with the county still without a championship win there were those, and I was amongst them, who thought that the removal of Chris Adams might bring a change of policy and that home grown players might be given an opportunity. Not so it would appear, for in recruiting Hashim Amla, Surrey have trumped all their previous efforts to buy success.
What a contrast with their opponents in the current match, Durham who have had no overseas player this season and who because of the unavailability of Onions and Stokes brought in twenty year old Usman Arshad, Bradford born but who plays his league cricket for Chester le Street. If you were at Headingley for the three day match in the SEC in 2010 then you have seen him play, although your eye may have been distracted by the sight of Tino Best celebrating the capture of three wickets.
Yesterday umpire Mark Benson had to stand down for personal reasons and was replaced by Phil from Philadelphia* local league umpire, Phil Raine .During the afternoon session the cavalry arrived from Doncaster in the form of Paul Baldwin and Phil's day in the sun but with increasing cloud was over. During the morning Durham built on the strong position established on Thursday, a situation for which a stand of 183 between Borthwick and Smith was largely responsible, two others who had played at Headingley three years ago.
Two friends who had been present for the first day's play had spoken of how lacking in enthusiasm Surrey had been in the field. Their fielding was sloppy and apart from Tremlett, the bowling poor. Nothing had changed yesterday, they simply did not seem interested. 421 is way above par for first innings knocks at Chester le Street and the Prince of Wales Own began their reply by losing three for 20 and then the biggest scalp, Amla bowled by Mark Wood's first ball for 14. The Durham supporter who had hoped to see Amla score a few runs cheered as loudly as the rest of us. The three bowlers who took the first four wickets, Rushworth, Harrison and Wood are all products of the Durham Academy. Possible message there for Surrey coach Alec Stewart who due to commitments at the test match is not present at this match.
Things were to get even better for Durham because before bad light stopped play Arshad was introduced into the attack and took the wickets of de Bruyn and Wilson to leave Surrey on 97 for 6, still 324 behind. If County Durham has had anything like the amount of rain that has fallen overnight in the Lower Ure Valley then prospects of play at The Riverside today must be very poor. Although their demeanour hardly suggests it, Surrey need to win and with Yorkshire gaining such a convincing win over Notts yesterday Durham will feel equally frustrated if they can not turn their advantage into victory before the big game at Scarborough on Wednesday.
The photograph was taken at the first day of the test match at Chester le Street. The crowd yesterday was not quite as large nor were so many wearing yellow caps.
* Tyne and Wear not USA
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