Raine’s half-century guides Durham to exciting victory

DURHAM held their nerve on a nailbiting final morning to defeat Yorkshire by one wicket and extend their lead at the top of the LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two table.

Durham required 33 to chase down their victory total of 246, while the visitors needed two wickets to end a 17-match run without a County Championship win.

The hosts were composed to whittle down 31 of the required 33 as Ben Raine completed a brilliant halfcentury under pressure.

George Hill threatened to break Durham hearts when he pinned Matthew Potts lbw with his second delivery with the new ball.

But Brydon Carse ambled to the crease with his side injury and squeezed the winning two runs between third slip and gully to steer Durham over the line.

Durham claimed 19 points from their third win of the season to move well clear of second-placed Glamorgan at the top of the standings, while Yorkshire remain winless from five matches this campaign.

On a bright morning in front of 254 spectators in Chester-le-Street, Yorkshire turned to Hill for the first over of the day, hoping he could continue to conjure magic for the White Rose in the middle after a fine performance.

Raine and Potts worked his first two balls for singles to the cheer of the home crowd.

The Durham batters brought up their fifty stand from 127 deliveries, further inching the hosts towards the victory target and quietening the travelling Yorkshire faithful that remained.

Jordan Thompson replaced Hill, but Potts took the attack to the seamer drilling his third ball straight down the ground.

Thompson put in a desperate dive to stop the ball and appeared to hurt his shoulder after staying down on the pitch.

The seamer continued his over but was dispatched off Raine’s legs to the fence.

Durham worked the target down to single figures before Shan Masood had one last roll of the dice and placed the ball in the hands of former Somerset off-spinner Dom Bess.

Bess bowled a tight line but could not prevent Raine nudging his way to his 15th first-class fifty.

The new ball arrived and Hill brought about one final piece of magic to pin Potts lbw for 25 with only two required for victory.

Carse arrived at the crease ailing with his trunk injury, but managed to secure an important win for Durham.