Fletcher lets century chance slip away as Durham battle back

LUKE Fletcher was “gutted” after a calamitous run-out cost him a maiden first-class hundred.

Fletcher’s agony was clear as he was run out for 92 – a career-best score that helped his Nottinghamshire side take control at Durham.

The nightwatchman’s eighth-wicket stand of 108 with James Pattinson helped to take the visitors to 305, a lead of 143, and in a 47-over final session Durham recovered from 24 for three to close on 162 for five.

Keaton Jennings remained unbeaten on 62 after a stand of 71 with Paul Collingwood was ended by a sensational catch at first slip by Riki Wessels. The talk, Fletcher. He never looked like getting out as he equalled though, was of the career-best score he made away to Hampshire in 2009.

He manoeuvred his stocky frame solidly into line to block the good balls, evaded the short ones intended to unsettle him, and drove with an authority which belied his first-class average of 14.46.

On three overnight, he completed his fourth first-class 50 just before lunch, then resisted a lengthy spell from Mark Wood.

When Durham briefly turned to Ryan Pringle’s off breaks, Fletcher lofted him for a straight four then swept his 13th boundary to reach 90, and added a further two singlesg before his 153-ball innings cruelly ended afterafterr he slipped when trying to turn bacck back from halfway down the pitch.

Had he notn not also dropped his bat, he would have regained his ground at the non-striker’s end.

Pattinsonn Pattinson had played the ball to deep gullygullly and took a stride forward beforebeffore changing his mind with FlettcherFletcher well on his way as Jenninggs Jennings fielded the ball.

“Too “To get to 92 was brilliant and it put us in a strong position,” he said. “But I was gutted to get out the way I did. I felt really comfortable all day and just wanted to be patient once I got to 90 and started to think about a century.

“The ball looked like it was going past gully, but Keaton Jennings made a good stop. I think there was a run if we had both gone straight away.”

Jennings said: “Luke played sensationally well – very straight and he put away the bad balls.”

Wood, who bowled for most of the afternoon, had previously gone closest to breaking the partnership when P r i n g l e was unable to hangg on to a sharp chance at second slip with Pattinson on 23.

The Aust r a l i a n went on to make 59 before skying an attempted hook off a Grah a m Onions bouncer when the new ball was taken.

Harry Gurney was bowled by Chris Rushworth, who finished with four for 54.

With tea taken between innings, the extra allocation to make up for the first day’s loss of overs left a marathon final session.

Jake Ball struck in the first and third overs. South African Stephenen Cook went for nought when he edged to first slip then a ball which climbedmbed off a length had Jack Burnhamm caught behind.

When Michael Richardson shuffled into a Fletcher in-swingerg a two-day finish looked likely, especiallly especially when Wessels leapt to cling on left-handed high above his head as a firedd-up fired-up Pattinson had his reward after being beeing convinced he had Collingwood lbw lbbw in his previous over.

Pattinson returned to addminister administer another short, sharp shock beefore before the close and this time his lbw appeal was upheld to end Paul Coughlin’s breezy knock of 36.

But Jennings proved as immoveable as he did forr for most of last season.