On Friday morning I made the journey to Chester le Street secure in my mind that Leicestershire skipper Michael Carberry would take the option not to toss and ask Durham to bat. After all Durham had been given the heave ho two weeks previously by Kent in a whisker over five sessions and then spent four days watching the grass not dry at Wantage Road. Short on practice, confidence and just about everything else required to make a decent fist of batting Durham were there to be put in and put out in quick succession. How many down before lunch was the question on our minds as we made our way to the far side of the ground, the wicket being pitched well over in that direction.
Imagine our surprise on taking our seats to see the scoreboard showing Leicestershire batting and Messrs Carberry and Horton following Collingwood's men through the pavilion gate. So Carberry had opted to contest the toss, called correctly and, with his team having a few runs under their belts, opted to bat. Not so, for Our Hartlepool Correspondent informed us that Collingwood had called correctly and invited The Foxes to do what they wanted to do all along. Bat. The rest of the day is old news now but suffice to say that Leicestershire scored a lot of runs, Durham took very few wickets, by the time I left at tea Rushworth had not added to his total of one for the season and the news that Lancashire had dropped or rested Onions and replaced him with Anderson did little to improve my mood.
Perhaps surprisingly I returned to the scene of the crime on Saturday where at the start of play the board read 301 for 4, something even Eoin Morgan's friends would understand. Just about every batsman who came to the crease seemed at ease although progress was rather on the slow side. Former local hero Ben Raine, perhaps not believing his luck when seeing Will Smith coming on to bowl was guilty of careless driving but Dexter, a favourite of OHC, batted fluently and when I left at lunch Leicestershire had reached 388 for 7. 87 for 3 in the morning session, almost a fight back.
Ten minutes from leaving Riverside I had reached Front Street Sacriston the home of Sacriston CC, newly promoted to the North East Premier League Premier Division. The ground is something of a fortress but eventually I found a pedestrian gate behind the pavilion from where I gained access. Home team batting against Tynemouth before a decent number of spectators and 50 without loss was soon on the board. That was about as good as it got for when I left after half an hour it was 70 for 4 and despite some runs for former Durham stalwarts Graeme Bridge (1999-2006) and Melvyn Betts (1993-2000) Sacriston were all out for 147 which Tynemouth reached for the loss of four wickets.
My next destination was one of the four grounds remaining in the Darlington and District league that I have still not visited, that of Witton le Wear, in my mind relative newcomers to the league, which means they were not in it when I last played in 1972. About half an hour's drive through two places possibly familiar to students of the amateur cup, Willington and Crook. Once through Crook turn left when you reach the A68 and you are nearly there and with the help of some very helpful instructions from a passer by I descended a steep track to find a decent sized playing area almost completely surrounded by trees. Witton were batting and helped by a generous helping of wides they eventually hit up 272 for 7, a big score for Division B. D Nelson 91, wides 36. Wittton had two Nelsons in their XI sadly neither with the initial H. During my half hour or so sojourn by the banks of the Wear I made friends with a dog who when I left took up a position at deep mid wicket. 272 was I suspect way beyond Raby Castle II's dreams and so it proved with them dismissed for 96. On leaving the ground I noticed that it is very close to Witton le Wear station, not as yet a stop on the Weardale Polar Express but a possible one for the future I am informed by a man with an office very close to the North Pole.
To be continued.
Witton le Wear CC
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