Ackermann’s patience pays off for Durham

COLIN Ackermann made his first century for Durham as the home side shared the spoils with Essex on the first day of their Vitality County Championship match at the Seat Unique Riverside.

The former Leicestershire skipper showed exemplary patience in making 112, a 294-minute innings that formed the bedrock of his side’s 358 all out. The Essex openers negotiated the last two overs of the day to finish on five without loss.

The visiting bowlers stuck to their task well on a pitch that encouraged fast scoring. Sam Cook took three for 60 and Jamie Porter three for 57, but the visitors dropped Ollie Robinson on 26 and Ackermann on 90, when Yorkshire loanee Harry Duke put down a sharp chance off Matt Critchley.

David Bedingham and Robinson made fifties with the latter’s 90 being his fifth consecutive firstclass half-century this season.

The day had begun badly for Durham, who lost both openers for single figures inside the first halfhour of play. Scott Borthwick and Alex Lees’ dismissals left Durham on 11 for two.

The next hour’s play belonged largely to Bedingham, who hit seven fours and a six in reaching a fifty off 47 balls and had made 52 of the 73 runs in his second-wicket partnership with Ackermann when he was bowled by a magnificent ball from Porter.

Undaunted, Ackermann and Robinson continued to score freely and Durham reached lunch on 129 for three after 29 overs. Robinson reached his fifth consecutive halfcentury of the season off 48 balls, having hit 11 boundaries.

Ackermann reached his fifty off 117 balls and after 164 minutes. Just when a century beckoned for Robinson, he misjudged a routine push on the leg side off Simon Harmer, and gave a simple catch to Nick Browne at midwicket. Four overs later, Harmer bowled

Graham Clark for three and four overs after tea Cook brought one back to have Brydon Carse leg before wicket for 18. Ackermann reached three figures off 199 balls with a back-foot cover-drive off Harmer – only his seventh boundary.

Just over half an hour later Ackermann fell to the new ball when Cook had him leg before wicket and the session improved for the visitors when Paul Coughlin pulled Porter straight to Browne and departed for 30. Shane Snater took the final two wickets to fall but not before Durham had collected a third batting point.