It’s a happy birthday for centurion Collingwood
EVERGREEN DURHAM STAR FIRES MAGNIFICENT TON
PAUL Collingwood ensured a 41st birthday to remember with a superb century as Durham made 342 on day one of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Glamorgan.
The former England all-rounder struck 127 off 174 balls after Durham lost early wickets in the Division Two fixture at St Helen’s in Swansea.
It was also a day to remember for new Glamorgan captain Michael Hogan, whose three wickets in four balls saw him end his first day as skipper with figures of five for 49.
The visitors wobbled early on, losing two wickets in the first eight overs of the match.
Key opening batsman Keaton Jennings was clean-bowled by Marchant de Lange for four and Stephen Cook fell lbw to Timm van der Gugten to leave Durham 17 for two.
Graham Clark and Cameron Steel constructed an 86-run partnership for the third wicket as the visitors began to rebuild, the former making 48 before falling to a superb low slip catch by Nick Selman off Hogan to leave the score at 103 for three.
Steel brought up his fifty off 134 balls, hitting seven fours, but all eyes were on Collingwood, who had raced to 30 by the time his partner had reached the milestone, having hit six fours on all sides of the wicket.
A useful 60 partnership came to an end when Selman claimed his second slip catch of the innings off Hogan, Steel departing for 59 to leave the visitors 163 for four in the 57th over. Just two overs later, Durham lost their fifth wicket as Ryan Pringle was caught by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke off De Lange for five.
Collingwood reached the halfcentury mark just after tea off 100 balls, and a sixth-wicket partnership of 91 with Paul Coughlin put the visitors back in the game as they claimed a second batting point.
However, the stand came to an end when Coughlin was leg before to Van der Gugten for 31 and the visitors were 260 for six.
Collingwood went on to reach his century off 158 balls, and had hit 20 fours and a six on his way to 127 before he was trapped in front by Andrew Salter. An eighth wicket soon followed, Stuart Poynter caught behind off Hogan for a useful 38 having put on 82 with Collingwood.
Hogan claimed his second wicket in the over when he bowled George Harding, and it was three in four balls – and four in seven – when Chris Rushworth was caught behind off the last ball of the day to end Durham’s first innings on 342.
Elsewhere in Division Two, centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Michael Lumb helped put leaders Nottinghamshire in control against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge.
India Test batsman Pujara scored 112 and Lumb added 117 as Notts piled up 357 for five after being asked to bat.
Joe Denly’s first hundred of the season (119) helped Kent recover from a poor first session to reach 316 for eight against Sussex.
Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten halfcentury made it Worcestershire’s opening day at Wantage Road.
After Northamptonshire were bowled out for 238, Mitchell’s 52 not out steered the visitors to 108 for two by the close.
Skipper Billy Godleman led Derbyshire’s reply after Leicestershire passed 600 on day two at Derby.
Godleman marked his 50th firstclass appearance for the county with an unbeaten 60 as Derbyshire closed on 154 for one, still 465 runs behind, in reply to Leicestershire’s 619.