Second XI Championship

posted by John Winn

Durham II yesterday defeated MCCU in the final northern division game in this year's SEC, a win that takes them above Lancashire and they and will now play Middlesex II in the final.

In the game played at South Northumberland, MCCU had batted first and were bowled out for 263 with Usman Arshad and Sam Grant taking three wickets each. Arshad, who was perhaps a little unlucky to be bowling at the end of the T20 final against Northants on Saturday built on his success with the ball and hit 105 in Durham's reply with Clark getting 91. By close on the second day Durham had captured four MCCU wickets and the innings closed on the final day for 169, something of a recovery from 85 for 7. Durham needed 67 to win and got home with seven overs to spare due almost entirely to an amazing innings from Graham Clark. This time last year Clark was given a run in the Durham's championship side but managed only 65 runs in six completed innings with a top score of 36 against Yorkshire at Scarborough. Yesterday he hit 56 off 19 balls, 42 from his final 9 deliveries and finished the game with four successive sixes, McIver 0 for 24 off 0.4 overs. Has that been done before? Clark's strike rate was 294.74, obviously keen to get home for Bake Off.

The final will be a four day match beginning on Tuesday September 6th and will be played at The Riverside, an unfortunate clash with Yorkshire v Durham at Headingley but I hope to spend at least one day there.

In the SET final being played today at Old Trafford, Somerset batted first in a rain reduced match and  the latest score I have is Somerset 200 for 8 off 43 overs, Lancashire still to bat.