Raine: Potts is boiling - and is England class
BEN Raine has tipped an “unbelievable” Matty Potts for an England call-up after the Wearside seamer excelled on a frustrating day for Durham against Glamorgan.
Potts - along with all-rounder Raine - captured four wickets on day two of the LV County Championship clash at the Riverside.
However, their efforts were not enough for Durham to seize the initiative against the Welshmen thanks largely to the batting prowess of Billy Root.
Root orchestrated a Glamorgan fightback on day two of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two match against Durham at the Riverside.
The younger brother of England’s Joe dragged his team out of trouble at 163-7 with a fine innings of 88 to defy the Durham bowlers.
Sam Northeast, Kiran Carlson and Michael Neser also scored halfcenturies - but it was the visitors’ lower order which frustrated the hosts, adding 202 runs for the final three wickets.
Potts and Raine apart, Durham’s bowling in the afternoon outside of the duo was below-par, allowing the Welsh outfit to accumulate a healthy lead of 54.
Michael Hogan and Neser nipped out Sean Dickson and Keegan Petersen to leave the hosts in trouble in their second innings still 15 runs behind.
Afterwards all-rounder Raine said of Potts: “Matthew has shown signs of being very good but this year he has been unbelievable.
“His performance really stood out at Sussex on a flat deck, it was Testcricket standard.
“He has been brilliant all year but I stood there rtoday and believed he was ready for Test cricket.
“Matty has been on fire again in this game.
“I hope he does get picked for England because he deserves it.
“We both had a nice day and I will take it because he has been bowling extremely well - so if I am anywhere
near his figures I will certainly take it.”
Resuming on 31-2, Glamorgan looked to make headway into Durham’s first-innings total, but were pegged back from the seventh ball of the day as Scott Borthwick took a diving catch at second slip to dismiss David Lloyd after Rushworth found his outside edge.
Marnus Labuschagne took 19 deliveries to get off the mark and did not seem comfortable at the crease.
His stay lasted a further three balls before he played across the line and was pinned lbw by Raine.
Northeast provided the early resistance and marched towards his 50 at a good rate, striking Rushworth for three-straight boundaries.
The 32-year-old notched his fourth half-century of the campaign but failed to kick on for his first ton of 2022, edging behind to Ned Eckersley for 51.
Carlson followed the mantra of Northeast to put the pressure back on the Durham bowlers.
Ben Stokes’ first three overs consequently went for 29, Carlson racing towards his half-century from 42 balls.
The lunch break came at the right time for the hosts and Potts returned with a spring in his step to bowl Carlson with the first ball after the interval.
The Durham seamer claimed his fourth of the innings as Cooke was caught down the leg-side, leaving Glamorgan reeling at 163-7.
However, Root and Neser stabilised the Glamorgan ranks and the Australia international led the way with an aggressive approach.
Neser capitalised on loose bowling from the home side to score a brisk 50, his first in the County Championship, reaching the mark with a firm strike down the ground against Borthwick.
The stand between Neser and Root surpassed 100 before Raine removed Neser for 62.
Root ensured Glamorgan secured a third batting point and then advanced beyond Durham’s total.
He and Timm van der Gugten, with runner Labuschagne due to his ailing hamstring, frustrated Stokes, Brydon Carse and company in a defiant partnership of 83 for the ninth wicket.
Root was on the verge of a deserved 100 but gave away his wicket for 88 with a loose drive off Raine, who then claimed his fourth scalp to end the Glamorgan innings.
Hogan and Neser made early inroads to remove Dickson and Petersen.