Yesterday was the only day it was convenient for me to make the trip to The Riverside for the match between Durham and Middlesex. After the visitors' very solid batting performance on Sunday Durham need to knock over the three remaining wickets as quickly as possible and then make best use of what seemed a very good batting wicket. When snow (sic) brought proceedings to a slightly premature close these two objectives had been achieved with Durham finishing the day 95 behind with six first innings still intact.
Two for Stokes and one for Onions had the Middlesex innings wrapped up for the addition of 31 and by lunch Durham had reached 87 for 2 with Jennings who had continued in the excellent form shown against Somerset two weeks ago dismissed by a poor ball from Finn and Borthwick, who has not really got going this year out to a lifter from Harris. Stoneman, who among the Chester le Street aficionados at least, is frequently mentioned in the same sentence as the England selectors, made it all look very easy and in the afternoon he found excellent support from Jack Burnham who surpassed the 50 he had made on debut against Yorkshire at Scarborough last year. The pair added 131 before Burnham was out straight after tea by which time I was on my way to Durham station.
At a shade over 54 degrees north you would not expect it to have been warm yesterday but by dint of changing our viewing position to the Lumley End and gaining the shelter of the health centre we avoided the worst of the wind and at one point during the afternoon the sun emerged to make things just about bearable. That however is the best one can say and the Middlesex fielders, unaccustomed to such temperatures looked as though it was at least a three sweater day. Today's forecast is no better with a maximum of 7 degrees and wintry showers possible. Brrrr
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