Having won at Chesterfield in early July Durham had the chance for their first double of the season when Derbyshire came to The Riverside on Monday. The Peakites exercised their right to ask Durham to bat and when Jennings fell to the first ball of the match skipper Godleman must have felt he had made the right choice but Collingwood who hit the 35th first class century of his career, with good support from Steel, the find of the season, and Coughlin(P) put Durham into a strong position before stumps. A position from which the skipper and Sunderland youngster Matthew Potts made hay on Tuesday morning. The forecast sunny spells did not materialise and most of the day's play was under lights.
When Derbyshire batted Onions, back after injury, led the way with four wickets and the visitors were bowled out on the stroke of six. Jennings, who has completely lost his batting form took the key wicket of Hughes and only Potts went wicket less. We returned on Wednesday morning to much better conditions and pleased to find that Collingwood had done the old fashioned thing and asked Derbyshire to follow on. Second time around they made a much better fist of it and 99 were on the board and the rattle of soup plates could be heard from the pavilion when the first wicket fell and we actually lunched on 100 for 2 when Godleman failed to add to his first innings two when he was bowled by Rushworth.
Taunton born Luis Reece was the hero of the afternoon and he and the elegant Madsen served up a century stand for the third wicket before the latter fell to occasional bowler Steel. With Coughlin injured Durham were short of a bowler and Potts, who had been on the field since Monday evening and who has the physique of a baking powder drink, began to look very tired but he captured one of the two wickets that fell in the last hour. Derbyshire trailed by 11 runs overnight with just four wickets left, a situation that convinced me that it was not worth making the trip for a third consecutive day. With the game wrapped up before lunch and Durham taking 24 points I felt I had made the right decision.
The alternative was the short trip to Harrogate and the third day of Yorkshire II v Derbyshire II. No sooner had I got there than a shower sent the players off the field although had there been any point to the match other than glorified net practice they would probably have stayed on. Of the Yorkshire eleven at least seven seem likely to take the field against Middlesex on Tuesday but an unfamiliar Derbyshire side were still able to clock up 360 before the last wicket fell. In the afternoon Kohler-Cadmore and Rhodes went cheaply but Leaning and Bresnan put together a good stand before Jupiter Pluvius took pity on us and sent rain heavy enough to cause an abandonment.
Looking ahead to Tuesday the box of red balls will be taken from the Headingley cupboard for the first time in three months, they were pink in July you will remember, for a match which should Somerset or Warwickshire have a revival could place the losers in a tricky position. Just in case you have forgotten how to get to Headingley the post code for the ground is LS6 3DP. Up the A1 Durham will take on Kent who still have an outside chance of promotion. An annoying clash but Tuesday at Headingley and Wednesday at Riverside is the plan then take it from there.
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