DAY THREE, EMIRATES RIVERSIDE
et, but the latter played a loose drive before lunch to a Josh Tongue delivery and was caught behind.
Young picked his moments to grind down the Worcestershire attack, while Burnham provided ample support, allowing Durham to post their third fifty partnership in succession. The New Zealander attempted to bring up his century by pulling Ed Barnard over the rope, only to be put down by Charlie Morris on the square leg boundary.
Young made the most of his opportunity and reached his second century of the season with a crisp on-drive down the ground that travelled to the fence. He failed to add to his score after passing three figures, leaving an inswinger from Tongue that struck his back pad. Durham pressed on through Burnham, who produced a great array of strokes around the wicket. The right-hander put the Worcestershire bowlers to the sword after easing past fifty. Eckersley proved more than a useful foil at the other end, allowing the home side to accelerate courtesy of a century stand. He smashed a six to reach his half-century before a glut of maximums followed, sending four over the rope in one Brett D’oliveira over.
Eckersley was caught on the fence after his onslaught before Burnham, who endured a struggle in the nineties, finally reached his ton, ending a five-year drought.
The milestone prompted Borthwick to declare with a lead of 422. However, Durham were denied a breakthrough in the final hour as Mitchell and Libby were solid, leaving the visitors unscathed at the close.
Durham’s Jack Burnham said: “I was lost for words to score the hundred.
“It has been a long time coming. I’ve been working really hard going back to the winter, and I’ve felt in really good form.
“It has been a long time and obviously a lot longer than I would have hoped to get my second century on the board.
“Hopefully now there is a lot more to come. It has been a long journey to get back to where I am and feeling as good as I do on the field. It has been challenging, and I feel I’m a lot stronger as an individual. I’ve just got to keep on putting in the hard work.”
Worcestershire coach Alan Richardson said: “It was a tough day and things did not go our way. Fair play to Durham, they played really well.
“I thought Will Young and Jack Burnham played with a lot of skill and patience.
“Our guys applied themselves well with the bat in the final hour. They’re facing a very good attack and a quick bowler in Mark Wood, but they showed good character and spirit. It will be a test tomorrow, but the guys will be confident of doing it.”
I was lost for words
to score the hundred. It has been a long time
coming
Jack Burnham