So the third day of Middlesex vs Durham at Lord's turned out to be one of the craziest so far with 18 wickets falling and a finish on the fourth day a certainty.
Durham resumed on 157-4 and batting looked easy as Middlesex toiled for the breakthrough. Jennings and Rushworth found runs easy to come by Rushworth even tonking Rayner for six. The 200 soon came up and it wasn't until the score reached 229 that Rushworth was LBW to Rayner for 40.
Jennings looked set for his 100, but on 98 looked to Voges fourth delivery and edged through to Simpson. From 239 for six, lunch did something funny as the next two sessions were completely different. Voges bowled Mustard off his pad, Arshad chipped Harris to the sub Balbirnie, Hastings edged Finn to slip and Coughlin caught behind off Harris only a quick 38 not out from Paul Collingwood saved Durham from disaster as they slipped to 294 all out.
Middlesex opted to bat again and it soon looked like a bad decision as Rushworth tore through the top order, having Gubbins LBW, Compton acrobatically taken at Gully by MacLeod, Voges LBW 2nd ball and Robson pinned LBW all in the first 7 overs. Hastings came on at the Nursery end to replace the expensive Coughlin and he decided to join the fun, Franklin was caught behind, Simpson was bowled off a no ball, before being caught at slip for a duck and Rayner bowled for a duck in the same over as Middlesex went to tea on a fairly bizarre 37-7.
Dexter and Harris blocked out after tea and ground to fifty in the 18th over when Dexter fell for six to give Hastings his fourth. Harris got a leading edge snaffled next over to complete Rushworth's 5 for and now out hobbled Tim Murtagh on one leg with Simpson as his runner to get a few more on the board. He edged the first ball for four and he and Finn adopted a stand and deliver approach with Murtagh wrecking Rushworth's figures by thumping him into the Grand Stand, they added 39 with Murtagh top scoring with 22 when Hasting pinned Finn LBW for 15 to finish with 5-24, and Rushworth 5-38. 89 all out wouldn't have been the plan but 24.2 overs later Middlesex found themselves bowling again.
Harris came tearing in again from the Nursery end and plucked out two more before close, Jennings limply pulling to square leg for a duck and Stoneman swatting at edge to Voges at slip as Durham closed on 24-2 still needing 235 more to win.
Showing posts with label durham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label durham. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
A Battle from Hastings
So after the women's match at Edmonton got rained off we move back to Middlesex vs Durham for day two and I get there just in time to see Harris edge behind, Franklin having already gone and Middlesex now six down.
The first ball I get there for, Harris edges Hastings behind as Middlesex had now slipped to 341-6. It was down to Dexter and Simpson to further the cause, and Durham failed to blast out the lower order as the sun came out and batting was relatively easy. Dexter was next to fall, heaving a Hastings bouncer to Usman Arshad at fine leg who took a good tumbling catch. Rayner hit a quick 16 before falling LBW to Rushworth for 16 and Murtagh was bowled heaving Borthwick for 11.
Simpson completed his 50 from 89 balls before hitting Hasting straight to mid off to be the last man out for 58 as Middlesex finished with a solid 463, Hastings with 4-87 from 33 overs.
Durham started well, with Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings scoring fairly easily early on, helped out by Tim Murtagh limping off with a suspected damaged hamstring after 2 balls. After a couple of quality drives, Stoneman then looked to waft Harris over cover and edged to slip for 21. Borthwick batted a bit like Stoneman with some nice shots before a waft to Franklin found the edge to Simpson for 26. Michael Richardson hit six fours in also making 26 before giving the impressive Harris his 2nd wicket.
Keaton Jennings meanwhile completed a composed 50 and finished the day on 61 but had to watch Calum MacLeod go to the penultimate over of the day, as Finn got one to rise and bowl him off the arm. So Durham end the day 306 runs behind on 157-4 needing a big effort from their middle order to catch Middlesex.
The first ball I get there for, Harris edges Hastings behind as Middlesex had now slipped to 341-6. It was down to Dexter and Simpson to further the cause, and Durham failed to blast out the lower order as the sun came out and batting was relatively easy. Dexter was next to fall, heaving a Hastings bouncer to Usman Arshad at fine leg who took a good tumbling catch. Rayner hit a quick 16 before falling LBW to Rushworth for 16 and Murtagh was bowled heaving Borthwick for 11.
Simpson completed his 50 from 89 balls before hitting Hasting straight to mid off to be the last man out for 58 as Middlesex finished with a solid 463, Hastings with 4-87 from 33 overs.
Durham started well, with Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings scoring fairly easily early on, helped out by Tim Murtagh limping off with a suspected damaged hamstring after 2 balls. After a couple of quality drives, Stoneman then looked to waft Harris over cover and edged to slip for 21. Borthwick batted a bit like Stoneman with some nice shots before a waft to Franklin found the edge to Simpson for 26. Michael Richardson hit six fours in also making 26 before giving the impressive Harris his 2nd wicket.
Keaton Jennings meanwhile completed a composed 50 and finished the day on 61 but had to watch Calum MacLeod go to the penultimate over of the day, as Finn got one to rise and bowl him off the arm. So Durham end the day 306 runs behind on 157-4 needing a big effort from their middle order to catch Middlesex.
Robson Running Riot
At 10:30, a greenish pitch and very overcast conditions, the decision to bowl first might have been a smart one, however it proved not to be for Durham as Middlesex racked up 329-4 on the first day of their Championship match at Lord's.
With Graham Onions out with a knee injury, the key breakthroughs would have to come from Chris Rushworth and John Hastings, but they struggled to apply much pressure and even if the Middlesex batting was scratchy early and gave a few chances, no wickets came. Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins moved the score on to 66 before Paul Coughlin got Gubbins fishing to slip for 23.
Robson soon completed 50 and began to look a lot more relaxed and he and Nick Compton took Middlesex to lunch 104-1.
After lunch, it was a case of more of the same as the pitch looked easy going, and soon he race was on to see if Compton would get to 50 before Robson completed his ton, and despite nearly running himself out, Compton won. He went soon after, bowled having a heave at Scott Borthwick's half trackers but this only brought in Adam Voges, another man in the mood for big runs. Robson went to his ton, his first since Sri Lanka in June last year and kicked on towards a loftier landmark.
Tea came and went, and the runs were still flowing as Durham turned to Calum MacLeod as the 8th bowler of the day, only to see Voges shelled at slip. The new ball brought the breakthrough as Voges was LBW to Rushworth for 52. Robson had completed a brilliantly crafted 150, but could last the day, as after being dropped at slip off Coughlin, he edged the same bowler to Borthwick at slip to depart for 178 runs that will hopefully see him to form after a tough year.
James Franklin and James Harris saw Middlesex to the close 329-4, with more of the same expected tomorrow, if the rain holds off.
With Graham Onions out with a knee injury, the key breakthroughs would have to come from Chris Rushworth and John Hastings, but they struggled to apply much pressure and even if the Middlesex batting was scratchy early and gave a few chances, no wickets came. Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins moved the score on to 66 before Paul Coughlin got Gubbins fishing to slip for 23.
Robson soon completed 50 and began to look a lot more relaxed and he and Nick Compton took Middlesex to lunch 104-1.
After lunch, it was a case of more of the same as the pitch looked easy going, and soon he race was on to see if Compton would get to 50 before Robson completed his ton, and despite nearly running himself out, Compton won. He went soon after, bowled having a heave at Scott Borthwick's half trackers but this only brought in Adam Voges, another man in the mood for big runs. Robson went to his ton, his first since Sri Lanka in June last year and kicked on towards a loftier landmark.
Tea came and went, and the runs were still flowing as Durham turned to Calum MacLeod as the 8th bowler of the day, only to see Voges shelled at slip. The new ball brought the breakthrough as Voges was LBW to Rushworth for 52. Robson had completed a brilliantly crafted 150, but could last the day, as after being dropped at slip off Coughlin, he edged the same bowler to Borthwick at slip to depart for 178 runs that will hopefully see him to form after a tough year.
James Franklin and James Harris saw Middlesex to the close 329-4, with more of the same expected tomorrow, if the rain holds off.
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
A Stack Load of Wickets
The second day of Middlesex vs Durham at Lord's resumed with Middlesex being 126-5 in their first innings after a manic first day in which 15 wickets fell, and there were to be more, as Neil Dexter fished Graham Onions to Phil Mustard in the 5th over of the day to fall for 48. Ollie Rayner hooked his first ball for six, but fell in the same over repeating the shot and edging through to Mustard. And soon Onions was to have five wickets, with Gareth Berg edging to Mustard for 35 as Middlesex were now 149-8, with a lead of only 6. The rest only clawed out a lead of 25 as Finn edged to Richardson off Onions and Murtagh edged to Mustard off Onions as Middlesex crashed to 168 all out, Onions finishing with 7-62, having picked up 5-20 in 5.2 overs that morning,
Durham came out to start their 2nd innings and Mark Stoneman was promptly LBW to Tim Murtagh fourth ball for a duck, which was quickly followed by Keaton Jennings poking to Robson at slip off Finn for 2, 10-2. Scott Borthwick and Will Smith took Durham into the lead, but Borthwick was cleaned up by Murtagh for 25 and at 32-3 it looked like another collapse was on our hands. Smith and Ben Stokes averted anymore disaster before lunch and Durahm knew this was their last big chance to push for a decent lead of 200 or so to give Middlesex a tough chase given the rate of wickets falling.
A blast of boundaries after lunch brought up the 50 partnership in the 28th over but Smith gave in away soon after, heaving the ball straight to Finn at mid on for 30, 97-4. This was quickly 98-5 as Paul Colling wood was bowled first ball by Corey Collymore, and a collapse looked on again. Stokes meanwhile was carefully blocking and then whacking anything he could and he reached his 50 from 92 balls as the lead ticked past 100. He though threw it away, charging Rayner and being easily stumped by John Simpson for 51, and Rayner had 2 in 3 as Richardson popped an easy catch to Adam Voges as Durham were now 129-7 thanks to the double wicket maiden from Rayner.
Callum Thorp blasted a quick 23, when the return of Finn bowled him and then Onions 3 balls later for a duck. Chris Rushworth soon followed to end the innings propping a catch off Rayner to Robson at short leg for 2, Durham 171 all out, leaving Middlesex 2 and a bit days to score 147, Mustard unbeaten on 30, Rayner 3-25, Murtagh 3-32.
Middlesex survived six overs, before Robson edged Rushworth to Richardson for 6, 23-1. Joe Denly looked a bit nervous, trying to connect with anything he could for runs and he sliced the ball straight to Stokes to go for 32, and give Onions his 8th wicket of the match at 41-2. Eoin Morgan was then struck bang in front first ball by Onion's inswing, only for it to be called a no ball by the umpire, possibly the moment the game finally went away from Durham for good.
Voges and Morgan managed to see off the final 13 overs of the day with relative (given what had gone before) ease as Middlesex closed on 103-2, not taking the extra half hour and coming back to score the remaining 44 needed for the much needed victory.
Durham came out to start their 2nd innings and Mark Stoneman was promptly LBW to Tim Murtagh fourth ball for a duck, which was quickly followed by Keaton Jennings poking to Robson at slip off Finn for 2, 10-2. Scott Borthwick and Will Smith took Durham into the lead, but Borthwick was cleaned up by Murtagh for 25 and at 32-3 it looked like another collapse was on our hands. Smith and Ben Stokes averted anymore disaster before lunch and Durahm knew this was their last big chance to push for a decent lead of 200 or so to give Middlesex a tough chase given the rate of wickets falling.
A blast of boundaries after lunch brought up the 50 partnership in the 28th over but Smith gave in away soon after, heaving the ball straight to Finn at mid on for 30, 97-4. This was quickly 98-5 as Paul Colling wood was bowled first ball by Corey Collymore, and a collapse looked on again. Stokes meanwhile was carefully blocking and then whacking anything he could and he reached his 50 from 92 balls as the lead ticked past 100. He though threw it away, charging Rayner and being easily stumped by John Simpson for 51, and Rayner had 2 in 3 as Richardson popped an easy catch to Adam Voges as Durham were now 129-7 thanks to the double wicket maiden from Rayner.
Callum Thorp blasted a quick 23, when the return of Finn bowled him and then Onions 3 balls later for a duck. Chris Rushworth soon followed to end the innings propping a catch off Rayner to Robson at short leg for 2, Durham 171 all out, leaving Middlesex 2 and a bit days to score 147, Mustard unbeaten on 30, Rayner 3-25, Murtagh 3-32.
Middlesex survived six overs, before Robson edged Rushworth to Richardson for 6, 23-1. Joe Denly looked a bit nervous, trying to connect with anything he could for runs and he sliced the ball straight to Stokes to go for 32, and give Onions his 8th wicket of the match at 41-2. Eoin Morgan was then struck bang in front first ball by Onion's inswing, only for it to be called a no ball by the umpire, possibly the moment the game finally went away from Durham for good.
Voges and Morgan managed to see off the final 13 overs of the day with relative (given what had gone before) ease as Middlesex closed on 103-2, not taking the extra half hour and coming back to score the remaining 44 needed for the much needed victory.
Monday, 23 April 2012
Getting Chopped Up By Onions...
After two days of almost total rain at Lord's, Middlesex were only 132-5 in their first innings against Durham, which became 132-6 when Neil Dexter edged Ben Stokes to Michael Di Venuto at slip from the 3rd ball of the day for 65. Gareth Berg (2) did the same thing off Callum Thorp. Luckily, the tail showed some fight as first Tim Murtagh then Toby Roland-Jones hit 18 and 17 respectably before the destroyer of the 2nd day Graham Onions returned from the Nursery End. Murtagh was caught behind and R-J skied to Ian Blackwell at mid-on to give Onions a handy 5-for, which he turned into 6-45 as Steve Finn poked to slip 2nd ball to leave Middlesx 188 all out, John Simpson unbeaten on 25.
The 6 overs before lunch brought 29 runs as Di Venuto and Will Smith feasted on loose bowling from Finn and Murtagh. The pair took the score to 59 when Finn produced a cracker to flatten Di Venuto's off stump for 30. Next over Murtagh forced Smith to edge to Malan at slip for 29. Paul Collingwood and Stokes played Durham past 100 with some good strokes before Collingwood edged to Strauss off Roland-Jones for 19, 109-3. Stokes hit 7 fours in his 45, when he gave Strauss his 2nd catch (as many balls as he'd faced batting) with an off stump swish off Finn. Dale Benkenstein was caught behind by Simpson off Berg for 24 and Blackwell (12) fell LBW to Finn in the next over to put Durham 164-6 still 24 behind with four wickets left at tea.
After tea Berg took two wickets in 3 balls as Mustard (ct Simpson 5) and Thorp (LBW 0) made the score 181-8. Mitch Claydon then hit two fours to bring up the lead before giving catching practice to Finn at mid-on off Murtagh, 194-9. The last wicket was to provide a crucial partnership as Onions (who else?) and Scott Borthwick clubbed quick runs. Borthwick hit Berg into the Grand stand for 6 and Onions hit an all four 20, including a sweet cover drive and some hard hits off Murtagh. Roland-Jones finally caused a miscue to Finn at mid-on to leave Durham 238 all out, 50 ahead, big, given the circumstances.
Middlesex then made heavy weather of the 11.3 that were possible before bad light stuck with the outfield seemingly slowing down for them, Strauss struggled to get off his pair and when he did it was due to a dropped catch by Thorp at gully. Onions was swinging the ball all around again, and bowled Strauss for 6 off the inside edge. 12-1 and still 38 behind Roland-Jones came in as nightwatchman and saw off the remaining time with Sam Robson to finish 21-1 with a draw looking likely.
The unusual observation of the day was either the three all-run fours or the pigeon that settled on a length as Robson was about to face Thorp and had to be chased away to the Grand Stand.
The 6 overs before lunch brought 29 runs as Di Venuto and Will Smith feasted on loose bowling from Finn and Murtagh. The pair took the score to 59 when Finn produced a cracker to flatten Di Venuto's off stump for 30. Next over Murtagh forced Smith to edge to Malan at slip for 29. Paul Collingwood and Stokes played Durham past 100 with some good strokes before Collingwood edged to Strauss off Roland-Jones for 19, 109-3. Stokes hit 7 fours in his 45, when he gave Strauss his 2nd catch (as many balls as he'd faced batting) with an off stump swish off Finn. Dale Benkenstein was caught behind by Simpson off Berg for 24 and Blackwell (12) fell LBW to Finn in the next over to put Durham 164-6 still 24 behind with four wickets left at tea.
After tea Berg took two wickets in 3 balls as Mustard (ct Simpson 5) and Thorp (LBW 0) made the score 181-8. Mitch Claydon then hit two fours to bring up the lead before giving catching practice to Finn at mid-on off Murtagh, 194-9. The last wicket was to provide a crucial partnership as Onions (who else?) and Scott Borthwick clubbed quick runs. Borthwick hit Berg into the Grand stand for 6 and Onions hit an all four 20, including a sweet cover drive and some hard hits off Murtagh. Roland-Jones finally caused a miscue to Finn at mid-on to leave Durham 238 all out, 50 ahead, big, given the circumstances.
Middlesex then made heavy weather of the 11.3 that were possible before bad light stuck with the outfield seemingly slowing down for them, Strauss struggled to get off his pair and when he did it was due to a dropped catch by Thorp at gully. Onions was swinging the ball all around again, and bowled Strauss for 6 off the inside edge. 12-1 and still 38 behind Roland-Jones came in as nightwatchman and saw off the remaining time with Sam Robson to finish 21-1 with a draw looking likely.
The unusual observation of the day was either the three all-run fours or the pigeon that settled on a length as Robson was about to face Thorp and had to be chased away to the Grand Stand.
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