Petersen feels he is getting in groove
KEEGAN Petersen feels he is finally starting to adapt to English cricket conditions after making his highest score so far for Durham.
The South African Test star made a solid 78 as Scott Borthwick’s men men posted 311 all out on day one of their LV County Championship Division Two clash with Glamorgan at the Riverside.
England captain Ben Stokes struck an impressive 82 to continue his strong start to the season following his blistering innings of 161 against Worcestershire last week.
Two late Matthew Potts wickets then boosted Durham as the Welsh side resumed today on 31-2.
Petersen said: “I finally feel as though I have the feel of these conditions.
“I don’t want to jinx my form because I might get a first-baller next time but I feel comfortable out there.
“It is a good batting wicket but you do feel as if you are never in on it. There is always a good spell in the bowlers and it showed.”
He added: “I think we left a few runs out there but we took two wickets and hopefully we can make 311 seem quite a lot of runs to them and see where it goes.”
Glamorgan won the toss and elected to field, facing the leading run-scorer in the County Championship heading into the contest, Sean Dickson.
However, the opener only added five runs to his total before Michael Neser found his outside edge and Sam Northeast clung on at second slip.
Alex Lees and Petersen responded against the new ball by building a stand worth 62.
Lees appeared on the brink of another 50 after driving David Lloyd to the fence but then chopped on from the following delivery to fall for 44.
After lunch, Scott Borthwick and David Bedingham fell cheaply for the home side to Michael Hogan and Andy Gorvin respectively but Petersen worked his way past 50 for the second innings in a row.
The South African was fortunate on two occasions against Neser, edging a bouncer between Chris Cooke and Andrew Salter at first slip and seeing a top edge land safely.
Petersen looked to have come through a tough period but he then presented Lloyd with his second wicket as he played a loose drive that landed in the hands of Marnus Labuschagne.
Stokes made a measured start to his innings but after the departure of Petersen began to free his arms.
His first signal of intent came with an element of fortune against his Ashes rival Labuschagne, edging his medium-pace over the slips.
The left-hander then found his range with two crisp strikes to the fence against Lloyd, scattering the Glamorgan fields to the ropes.
The England captain brought up his half century from a sedate 74 balls compared to his exploits against Worcestershire.
However, he soon delighted the Riverside crowd by dispatching Labuschagne over the leg-side boundary with his first six innings, bringing up the Durham 250 in the process.
A promising partnership of 61 between Stokes and Ben Raine allowed the hosts to push towards 300 at speed.
Raine matched the intensity of his team-mate before Salter turned one through the gate, earning revenge after being struck 10 from the first five balls of the 79th over.
One wicket quickly brought a second as Hogan secured the vital scalp of the England captain with the new ball with a rising delivery he could only fend behind to Cooke for 82. Hogan then wrapped up the tail with two further strikes.