Nail Biter at The Riverside

 posted by John Winn

The championship match that finished at The Riverside yesterday had several unusual features

• the captain winning the toss opted to bat
• 39 wickets fell but only three batters made fifty
• the top individual score was 51 (George Hill)
• only one team innings passed two hundred and fifty (Yorkshire 254)
• only one batting bonus point was gained in the match
• a batter not in the original XI was allowed to bat in the second innings as a concussion substitute 
• barely anytime was lost through rain
• it was so cold on Friday that I left at lunchtime
• Durham won by one wicket when a batter who needed a runner hit the winning runs

Durham had not played Yorkshire in four day cricket since 2016 when the visitors won the toss and opted to bat on a sunny Thursday morning. This was not quite the gamble it might seem for the forecast suggested that the first day would offer better batting conditions than the second, and this proved to be the case, and secondly opener Adam Lyth was in splendid form having hit a magnificent 174 just a few days earlier against Glamorgan. Alas Lord Mayor's show and all that for after just ten deliveries Lyth was on his way, well caught by Clark in the gully off Potts. Masood on his Yorkshire debut made 44 but although five of his team mates could be said to have got their feet under the table none went on to make fifty and only a last wicket stand of 36 brought Yorkshire a batting bonus point

Durham fared no better, losing openers Lees and Jones before stumps and like Yorkshire they relied on a last wicket stand to bring respectability. Yorkshire's second innings started no better than the first, Lyth bagging a pair, out first ball this time, which brought Bean, unlucky to be dropped in my opinion, to the crease in place of the injured Shakeel, lucky to be playing in the opinion of more than me. Bean, Malan  Bairstow and Hill all got a start and at 145 for 4, a lead of 172 it was beginning to look as though Durham might be set an awkward fourth innings target. Enter Raine and Potts and the last six fell for 73.

Durham, set 246 to win, got off to a good start but the middle and lower order were swept aside  until Raine and Potts, this time with the bat, held out to close of play including the extra half hour to set up a fascinating last day. 33 to win, two wickets to take and number 11, Carse, injured. How far would you travel to watch what might be not more than an over's play? A family commitment saved me making that awkward decision but free admission persuaded 245 to come through the turnstiles. I decided it would be rude to have my phone switched on while in conversation with my brother-in-law and his partner so it was 12:15 before I checked the scores to find Durham had got home by one wicket, that the winning runs had been scored by Carse, batting with a runner but the real heroes were Raine and Potts whose ninth wicket stand had yielded 71 to leave their team within touching distance of their third victory of the season, all at The Riverside.

Yorkshire will perhaps be pleased that next time they take the field, on Saturday at Edgbaston, the ball will be a different colour and the game will be much shorter. Yes its that time of the year again, T20,
but in the meantime Durham travel to Bristol looking to extend their lead at the top of the table before we have a break from championship cricket four weeks. 

Queen's Park Chesterfield, will Yorkshire will face Derbyshire on Sunday June 11th