Frank talking from coach as Durham crash
HEAD coach James Franklin has warned his Durham players to improve - or forget about winning promotion this season.
The Kiwi saw his side crash to their second LV County Championship Division Two defeat of the seasin - by six wickets to Middlesex at Lord’s.
The result means Scott Borthwick’s side has triumphed in just one of its first seven four-day games - form which Franklin says is not good enough.
He said: “We have played good cricket and pretty average cricket and from a table point of view we are mid-pack.
“If we want to be in the shake-up come the end of September we have to start playing better, more consistent cricket.
“It was a pretty disappointing end to the game after the first two days were pretty evenly poised.
“Fundamentally we did not get that last session right on Saturday and when things were going all right again on the final day we lost another three quick wickets before lunch which put a nail in our coffin.”
John Simpson equalled the record for wicketkeeping dismissals in a match at Lord’s with nine catches as Middlesex comfortably prevailed.
The diminutive gloveman achieved the feat for the second time in his career with five victims in Durham’s second innings to add to his four from the first.
Toby Roland-jones was the main beneficiary of Simpson’s latest entry into the record books, returning 6-35, while Ethan Bamber took 3-18 as Durham were dismissed for 188 in their second innings despite 60 from skipper Borthwick.
Set 117 in 44 overs to win, the hosts made heavy weather of the chase before skipper Peter Handscomb, who it was confirmed would leave the club at the end of the match to join up with Australia A, signed off with 39 not out to see them home.
For much of the morning there a little sign of the drama to come as Borthwick and night-watchman Matthew Salisbury batted with relative comfort on a placid surface.
Borthwick pulled Roland-jones to the mid-wicket fence before driving Martin Anderson twice in an over through the same region. Salisbury too played with increasing confidence, garnering three boundaries from one especially expensive Andersson over.
The game appeared to be meandering aimlessly before the reintroduction of Roland-jones gave it a much-needed kiss of life.
The seamer’s loosener looked set to be given the full treatment but Borthwick under-edged the offering into his middle stump, which was duly uprooted from the turf.
If that wicket owed a little to lady luck, the prize scalp of England captain Ben Stokes two balls later was down to inspiration.
Roland-jones found a smidgeon of away movement to find the edge and Sam Robson took a smart catch at second slip.
Minutes later Robson grabbed an even better one inches from the turf to send Ned Eckersley packing for just two off the bowling of Bamber, leaving Durham six down at lunch and just 44 in front.
Salisbury survived the mayhem to eclipse his previous career-best of 41 immediately after the resumption but a maiden first-class 50 would elude him as Bamber found the edge for Simpson to take his seventh catch of the game.
Bamber then struck again to remove one of Durham’s firstinnings heroes Liam Trevaskis.
Ben Raine and Brydon Carse unfurlied a succession of meaty blows, hitting Luke Hollman out of the attack and greeting the return of Tim Murtagh with similar disdain.
It needed Roland-jones to return to break the stand of 41, Simpson again the catcher, and then Murtagh had Chris Rushworth caught by Roland-jones for a duck.