Durham to Derby via Denby in easy stages.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

John Winn has already reported on day three of Durham's victory over Glamorgan at Riverside, but as we were present for the first two days I can fill in some details of the earlier events before we set off to watch Derbyshire second eleven taking on Middlesex seconds at one of our favourite club grounds, Denby and then on to the last day of the championship match between Derbyshire and Leicestershire at the county ground Derby.

Sunday 5th September saw us return to Riverside, after the disappointing cancellation of last week's game with Surrey, which led to a large hole in our carefully planned end of season calendar. No doubt revenge was on the mind of the Durham players following their defeat by Glamorgan in the Royal London Cup semi-final. Revenge they certainly got in no small measure by bowling them out for a mere 97 runs in just 32 overs soon after lunch.

The Glamorgan fielders look a little dejected as the score approaches 500.

Rushworth as expected got his traditional early wicket by dismissing the other David Lloyd lbw in his second over. It then took a while for the second wicket to fall with the total on 63. The New Zealander Rutherford was caught in the slips by the returning Paul Coughlin for what proved to be top score of 43. After that the wickets came thick and fast. Rushworth got his third by removing debutant Ed Byrom, recently acquired from Somerset, then Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin disposed of the rest in a hurry.

Rushworth's final figures 3-26, Raine 3-25 and a remarkable return for Coughlin with 4-11 to add to his two slip catches. The final wicket fell when Carey skied Coughlin high in the air for Rushworth to take a fine running catch. Glamorgan 97 all out and thoughts of an early finish already surfacing. A century opening partnership between Lees and Jones put Durham well in control and by the end of day one they had progressed to 223-3. Jones just missed out on his career best when dismissed for 81.

Ned Eckersley batting for Durham.

On day two Durham continued to pile on the runs with everyone contributing to a rather unique scorecard in which everyone scored over twenty. Lees, Jones, Eckersley, Raine and Trevaskis all making fifties and Dickson and Bedingham  both made forties. The declaration might have come earlier but Borthwick waited until the 500 came up. When Glamorgan batted again, over four hundred behind, they were soon 38-2 but advanced to 71-2 before the close, when an early finish seemed likely the next day but as John has already described the visitors prolonged the action into day four.

Ben Raine dismissed as Durham pile on the runs.

The following day we made our way to Denby for day two of Derbyshire seconds game with Middlesex. Derbyshire were batting in reply to the Middlesex first innings of 244. On a very hot day the few spectators were huddled under the trees to find some welcome shade as the Middlesex bowlers toiled away. They eventually dismissed the two main men, Matty McKiernan (53) and Donald Butchart (40) before running through the tail fairly quickly.

Middlesex start their second innings at Denby.

Strangely their most experienced bowler, James Harris, who is returning to Glamorgan next season, did not take a wicket and it was the younger Max Harris who had the best figures of 3-23. Toby Greatwood, another youngster, who opened the bowling, took 3-38 and the leg spinner Nathan Sowter, who has quite a few first team games under his belt, was somewhat more expensive with 3-63.

Dustin Melton bowling with pace which earned him a first team recall for Derby.

When Middlesex batted again, both openers were dismissed quickly including Mike Atherton's son Josh de Caires for only seven. Joseph Cracknell and James Harris came to the rescue until Kamran Khanna, an unorthodox looking leg spinner from the Hampshire Academy, had Cracknell caught on 75, when a century looked his for the asking. James Harris carried on the good work to end the day on 66 not out to leave Middlesex on  215-8 with a lead of 247 which should be enough to see off the young Derbyshire side on day three. So it proved as Middlesex bowled them out for 209 winning by 56 runs with a day to spare.

Meanwhile we had moved on to nearby Derby to see day four of the Championship game with Leicester. Another hot day with Derbyshire, having followed on after Leicester's mammoth 528 in the first innings, starting on 313-8. This soon became 340 all out and Leicestershire enforced the follow on obviously with high hopes of bowling Derbyshire out for a second time before the close. Hopes were high when Chris Wright had Tom Wood caught behind early on and then dismissed South African Du Plooy in the same fashion. Derby 18-2 and deep in trouble.

The overnight batsmen take to the field at Derby as Leicester prepare their own demolition job.

However the experience of skipper Billy Godleman and veteran Wayne Madsen saw the home side out of trouble before Madsen went for 21 and thereafter Derby's man of the season Matt Critchley joined his captain in an unbroken partnership of 139 which saw them safely home to a draw. So a pleasant afternoon in the sun with only a small crowd there to enjoy some good batting which saw Godleman complete his century and Critchley reach 59 not out before the teams shook hands.

Thankfully nobody needed to take the advice on the notice.

Callum Parkinson, the acting Leicestershire captain, tried his upmost to make the break through and ended with figures of 0-49 in his twentieth over at the end. Veteran Chris Wright had the best figures of 3-36. I remember first seeing Billy Godleman as a fifteen year old in the Bunbury Festival many years ago now when David English told me to watch out for him in the future as one of the best prospects he had seen. He perhaps never reached the highest stage but has been an admirable county batsman over the years for Middlesex, Essex and Derbyshire. He certainly took the honours today.

End of season atmosphere at Derby.