Hero Chris salutes ‘amazing spirit’
“To come back from where we were in the first innings to win by 95 runs, it shows the amazing spirit, fightback and determination, all the cliches you can name.
“I think Monday’s batting performance showed it then to come out and hit our straps to bowl them out before lunch is a massive effort.”
Disappointed Derbyshire skipper Billy Godleman admitted: “It’s a tough one to swallow.
“It just proves that, even if you’re in command of a game of four-day cricket, until you have taken the final wicket, or have scored the final run, you haven’t won the match.
“Equally, a strong message moving forward for us is that, when you find yourselves with your backs against the wall, you’re never out of a game of four-day cricket. To insert them on a lively wicket, it can sometimes provide its own pressures for the bowlers.
“As a bowling unit, and as a team, you try to bowl them out in the first session. You can then go searching for wickets and throw up some four balls.
“The guys on the first morning, particularly Hardus Viljoen and Duanne Olivier, were fantastic.
“Duanne was magnificent throughout the game, and, although he may have leaked the odd boundary at times, he did bowl over 40 overs.
“He stuck to the gameplans of the team. Unfortunately, there were times we were unable to keep our discipline as an all-round bowling unit.”
“Sometimes, unfortunately, the conditions go against you. When we came out to bat on Monday night, the floodlights were on and Chris Rushworth is a fine exponent of the new ball under lights on his own patch.
“Matt Salisbury was equally excellent where he put the ball. It was a tough session.”
Durham must wait until next Wednesday to visit Arundel for their next Championship match against Sussex.
The next home match is against Warwickshire, starting on Monday, June 25.