Durham want old boys to jet off with trophy
DURHAM JETS will be breaking up much of the old band this winter but Chris Rushworth is determined to set up an encore ahead of their do-or-die clash with Derbyshire tonight.
Chester-le-Street will usher in a new generation next year with Surrey bound opener Mark Stoneman set for the exit door alongside club stalwarts Phil Mustard and Gordon Muchall.
Indeed, quite apart from whether the rumours surrounding Scott Borthwick and Mark Wood’s departures come to fruition, change is in the air in the North East.
But there is reason to believe that Durham could hoist another trophy before the old guard march off, with the county still in contention for all three pieces of silverware this year.
It is now last-chance saloon in the Blast, however – the Jets must beat Derbyshire, ideally handsomely, and hope for results to fall their way elsewhere.
Qualification could have been allbut assured if not for slip-ups against Yorkshire Vikings and Lancashire Lightning last weekend but Rushworth is in no mood to give up.
“It’s quite sad for the club and the Durham support because Mark (Stoneman), Phil and Gordon have been around for such a long time, so it would be nice to finish on a high,” said Rushworth, who made his debut for Durham in 2004. “If we can get a trophy to send them off with that would be fantastic for the club, as next year we’d probably have to adjust without them.
“I played up the age-groups with Mark, we’ve known each other since we were kids and it’s pretty disappointing. But you can’t blame him if he thinks it will further his career – that’s up to him. He’s scored a hatful of runs for us and there’s no reason he can’t do the same elsewhere.
“We’ve only got ourselves to blame, we had a good chance to nail a qualification spot down but a couple of poor results means it has come down to this.
“First and foremost we have got to win the game but we’ll be approaching it with a positive mindset – that’s all we can do.”
Given the injuries to Wood, Ben Stokes and overseas all-rounder John Hastings, Durham’s fast bowling stocks have held up remarkably well this year after an enforced injection of youth.
Barry McCarthy, Usman Arshad, James Weighell, Brydon Carse and Paul Coughlin are 23 or younger and have all been called into action for the first-team this year.
“There’s something in the water up here!” added Rushworth. “They’ve got thrown into this situation and it’s testament to the way they’ve put their hands up. It’s only a good thing for the club to have so many coming through and performing well. If youngsters come up for advice I’m happy to pass on what I’ve learned but similarly I want to play every game if I can.
“The white ball has gone pretty well for me, last year I took a bit of a backwards step which was disappointing. To stop that trend and bowl the way I have done is very pleasing.”
Elsewhere in the North tonight, Birmingham Bears – who received a tweet of support from NFL side Chicago Bears earlier this week – need to beat an eliminated Lancashire Lightning to ensure their qualification.
An in-form Yorkshire Vikings have lost just one of their last six games in the Blast and they head to Northants Steelbacks in an effort to pinch a home quarter-final from the hosts.
Notts Outlaws would wrap up top spot with a win over Leicestershire Foxes, who, in Clint McKay, boast the bowler with the best economy rate to record more than ten overs this summer (6.1, 39.5 overs).