Tuesday 6th September was day one, of a potentially four day match, for the second XI championship final at Emirates Riverside, Chester le Street between Durham and Middlesex. The smallish crowd enjoyed a wonderful day in the sunshine, possibly one of the best weather days ever encountered by me over the last twenty years of visiting this venue.
Durham batted first against a Middlesex side which included a few well known players and several unknowns, including two Sri Lankans. The most well known being James Harris who last season took nine wickets in an innings against Durham first team at Lord's. They also had the Irish international Stirling, England under 19s captain Holden, former Gloucester bowler Fuller and highly rated left arm spinner Ravi Patel.
Hickey was the first man out for 20 and then Cameron Steel, who used to play for Middlesex but after playing for Durham University has now joined Durham, batted through till lunch together with Trevaskis. The latter sounds like a Cornishman, but in fact is a Cumbrian from Carlisle. Steel played like a man who knew it was a four day match and progressed slowly but steadily until the interval when Trevaskis was out to the final ball of the morning. Durham 100-2.
Paul Coughlin, with some first team experience behind him, joined Steel and the two stayed together throughout the afternoon session. Couglin started cautiously but gradually increased the scoring rate before cutting loose later in the day. Steel remained his rather obdurate self and after Couglin completed a splendid hundred, Steel got stuck in the nervous nineties and was out for 95. By then the total was 315-3 and the pair had put together a partnership of 215.
Coughlin and Steel not out at tea
The excellent entertainment continued in the early evening sunshine and Durham had reached the 400 mark before the close, with Couglin still not out. During the afternoon session a strange incident took place when the Sri Lankan Walallawita came on to bowl. His first and only delivery was a no ball and he collapsed in a heap at the bowling crease with a leg injury. The ball went for four byes, so six runs were scored. After a long delay he left the field limping with the Middlesex support staff in attendance. On their way back to the pavilion, there was a further delay when the physio appeared to pull the wicketkeeper's dislocated finger back into place.
Walallawita collapses after bowling just one ball
50 extras on the board with more to come
The finger injury did not prevent young Lace continuing to keep wicket, but he was obviously in discomfort for the rest of the day and conceeded a good number of byes which helped take the extras total beyond the fifty mark. Three wickets fell quickly just before the close, but the following morning Coughlin continued on his merry way before he was the last man out (run out in fact) for a massive 231. He received good support from wicketkeeper Hurst with 36 but not much from his younger brother who was out for nought. Durham eventually all out for 504. Extras 74!
Coughlin goes to his century
I was not there on days two and three but the home side were able to winkle Middlesex out for 202 in the first innings and then after enforcing the follow on (something unknown to Yorkshire) for185 in the second innings to win by an innings and 117 runs inside three days. James Harris top scored with 53 not out first time round and the Irishman Stirling had 86 in the second innings. Best bowlers for Durham were Arshad with 4-35 in the first innings and 17 year old Liam Trevaskis was the star second time round with his slow left armers taking 6-31.
Congratulations to Durham - worthy second eleven champions.
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