Durham tyros allay fears of a run drought
Hampshire 411 & 176-7 Durham 361 - Stumps, Day Three
MUCH has been made of Surrey’s raid on Durham’s batting stocks ahead of the 2017 season, but in the final game of this campaign, with the team in some trouble, junior batsmen stood up to provide hope that life after Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick need not lead to a run-famine.
When, shortly after lunch on the second day, Stoneman slapped Liam Dawson to mid-wicket, Durham were 49-3, and 362 behind, with a survival-securing Hampshire win looking likely. Borthwick had already driven loosely to edge Brad Wheal behind, while Keaton Jennings had been trapped in front offering no stroke to Gareth Berg.
From there, Graham Clark accumulated patiently in the company of Ben Stokes (another cricketer Durham will not see much of in future, despite his new deal), then, after Clark edged Dawson behind, Michael Richardson picked up the baton, ending unbeaten one short of a century, with the ball turning sharply a plenty of men round the bat. Richardson shared 79 with Brydon Carse, who staked his claim for a promotion from No.9 with a patient 45.
Despite the consistently excellent output of Stoneman and Borthwick in recent years, it has been Jennings – with seven centuries, and 1,523 runs leading to a maiden England Lions call-up – who has propped up the batting as Durham secured a fourthplaced finish.
Richardson, who was making his third 50 of the season before being left stranded on 99 when last man Chris Rushworth fell to Dawson, admitted that batsmen would need to step up next season in the absence of Borthwick and Stoneman. On the second evening, the players went out for a farewell dinner.
“Those two guys are a massive loss, even just in the dressing room,” said keeper Richardson. “We will go out for a team meal for them just to say thank you for their great service. But I’m sure Durham have players now who can step up and fill those slots. I shoulder some of the blame. I have not had the season I wanted to, but luckily Keaton has put his hand up in that regard. He has scored the runs for all of us.”
Richardson was encouraged by Clark’s display, as the Cumbrian made his second consecutive halfcentury to hold up Hampshire and give his brother, Lancashire’s Jordan, a hand in the relegation battle. “Hats off to him, said Richardson. “He came in in a very tricky situation, and his first ball spun past the outside edge but he got his head down and did well. It’ll be massive for his confidence.
“Stokes and Graham set the tone. They are strong guys so they put the bad ball away easily. When the ball was soft, they charged on, and got us back into the game. It turned a lot. They bowled well, and kept two slips in most of the day, put it on a tricky area and really tested us.
“Stokesy gives the impression that everything happens at 100mph, but he cares a lot about his cricket. This was a great example of him doing whatever he needs to get the job done.”
Borthwick’s departure leaves a hole in the spin department too, even if he has taken just 21 wickets this season. As Hampshire piled on 411 in the first innings, they attacked Ryan Pringle’s off-spin with relish. He picked up 3-153 in the first innings but grabbed five second time round.
Captain Paul Collingwood said: “It was good for Ryan to get a long bowl under his belt. At the moment he’s going to be our spinner going forward with Scotty disappearing down to Surrey. It is good for him to get some experience in. He wheeled away and tried to pick up wickets.”