DISMAY FOR DURHAM DESPITE FINE BATTING
Durham’s South Africa-born duo, Keaton Jennings and Michael Richardson, propelled them to 194 for two in the Royal London Cup tie at home to Derbyshire.
But that was as far as it got as rain wiped out any chance of further play after it had been announced that Derbyshire’s target under Duckworth/Lewis would be 243 in 34 overs.
After being put in, Durham were 84 for one after 16 overs when a 75-minute rain break reduced the contest to 43 overs a side.
On the resumption the second-wicket pair took their stand to 122 before Jennings fell for 79, made off 72 balls, when he went down the pitch and was stumped after missing a Jeevan Mendis googly.
Richardson had gone well past his previous oneday best of 64, made in this competition against Nottinghamshire last year, when the rain returned with his score on 83.
It was a deeply frustrating start for Durham in a competition in which they have a two-point deficit as part of their ECB punishment. Their next two games are at Edgbaston and Headingley.
They will hand Richardson the chance to build on his early-season form as he looks to step up and fill the void left by departed duo Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick.
The two top-order batsmen quit the club at the end of last season to join Surrey, meaning Durham have had to rejig their batting line-up.
Richardson said: “We were in a really good position. I was ready to go back on and was surprised to hear it was off.
“It was a nice surprise for me to be promoted to No 3. It’s an exciting time for me and I’m really enjoying my cricket.
“With two top-order batsmen leaving it has given me more responsibility.”
Although it wasn’t raining when umpires Neil Mallender and Michael Gough called play off at 4.30, Derbyshire skipper Billy Godleman wasn’t surprised by the decision.
“There was standing water on the wicket ends at the top of the square, so I wasn’t surprised at all,” he said.
“It’s frustrating because we would have backed ourselves to chase down whatever target we were set.
“After deciding to bowl it was brilliant to have Ben Cotton back. He bowled with good discipline and was a threat all the way through. But we need to build pressure from both ends and we found it difficult to do that.”