Report: Durham v Warwickshire, County Championship

Day Four

A sublime century from Ed Barnard and vital knocks from Kai Smith and Michael Booth led Warwickshire to a one-wicket win over Durham in a Rothesay County Championship thriller.

Warwickshire started well in the morning as Alex Davies looked in good touch for his 50, but his departure led to a mini-collapse before lunch, with the visitors losing four wickets for nine runs at the hands of Ben Raine and Matthew Potts. 

However, Warwickshire had the perfect blend of experience and youth in the form of Smith and Barnard, who combined brilliantly for a partnership worth 147 to well and truly take the wind out of Durham’s sails.

There was yet another twist though as the hosts bounced back after tea to remove the pair, with Brendan Doggett orchestrating the fightback to set up a grandstand finale and it all went down to the final pair, but Ethan Bamber and Vishwa Fernando remained calm and composed to see the visitors over the line as they reached their target of 339.

Resuming on 12 without loss, Alex Davies and Rob Yates had a big task ahead of them and Davies started well as he hit Potts for back-to-back boundaries. However, at the other end, Yates didn’t last long as Raine bowled him for three.

Hamza Shaikh then survived a run-out appeal after there was confusion between the wickets for the England Under-19s man and Davies. The Bears skipper continued to look good with a pair of boundaries from a Raine over including a clever cut shot.  

Davies then reached his half-century off 73 balls to give his side a good start in their pursuit of 339, but he then departed without adding to his score as Raine got him LBW. 

Durham got their third as Potts got the key wicket of Sam Hain for just two, with the experienced right-hander edging behind to Ollie Robinson and he struck again next ball as Dan Mousley chipped one straight to Dan Hogg at mid-wicket. The England man couldn’t get the hat-trick though as Barnard got it away for a single. 

Durham continued to run through Warwickshire’s top order, as Raine got his third with the last ball before lunch when Shaikh edged behind to Robinson to depart for 23. 

The hosts nearly got their sixth when a diving Emilio Gay couldn’t grasp one at silly mid-on when Barnard chipped a Raine delivery in the direction of the former Northamptonshire man. 

First innings half-centurion Smith looked in good touch once again as he played a lovely cover drive to relieve some pressure. The Bears keeper and Barnard were solid in defence and took opportunities to score when they were on offer.

Smith and Barnard then took a liking to the bowling of Doggett, picking up three boundaries from one of the Australian’s overs. 

Barnard then passed 50 for the second time this season off 81 deliveries and Smith reached the milestone for the second time in the match just a few balls later. 

The pair continued to take chunks out of the target and the hosts struggled to find answers, but they found one when Smith departed LBW to Raine for a well-made 62 to add another twist to the game.

Durham had another run-out chance as Booth and Barnard had a mix-up in the middle but Will Rhodes’ throw went to the wrong end as the latter was scampering at the other end. 

Barnard’s experience showed in the situation amid the chaos in the middle, the all-rounder rotated the strike well with Booth after the run-out chance and reached his century from 133 balls, but he departed the next ball with him edging a Doggett delivery to Robinson.

Doggett followed that up as he got Taz Ali caught behind for three and the hosts almost had their ninth when Ethan Bamber edged a Raine delivery between Robinson and slip fielder Ackermann. 

A glorious straight drive from Booth for four released the shackles, but Potts bowled him for a valiant 40. 

Vishwa Fernando was the number 11 and Bamber tactically rotated the strike as Warwickshire got the target to single figures and Bamber got the visitors over the line with a six down the ground off the bowling of Raine.

Centurion, Ed Barnard said: “It’s pretty incredible really, I’m pretty speechless right now. That sort of 45 minutes to an hour was as tense as it gets really. I think from both teams, they played brilliantly and put their heart in out there. I think the way the Durham lads bowled out there today was outstanding. Again Boothy (Michael Booth) and Bambs (Ethan Bamber), they’ve been outstanding, Boothy’s really stepping up. We’ve seen glimpses of it over the last year and to put in a performance like that is a really good sign for him and us moving forward.

“It’s one thing we’re massive at is bringing through the young players. We obviously had four debutants, I think it was, last week so everyone knows there’s a bit of change going on. We’ve got some serious talent coming through and I think Kai obviously proved that in both his innings, both were exceptional. Taz has done a brilliant job as a spinner and early season, it’s never easy, he’s kept the run rate there and he’s took his wickets as well so he’s going to be a huge asset for us moving forward. It’s really good signs for us moving forward.

“It was pretty horrible to get out like that as well. We were on top at that point as well, we felt like we’d quietened them down. But it’s cricket, it’s the way it happens, it’s sport and that’s why we love it. Luckily we got over the line and it doesn’t really matter now.”

Day Three

A four-wicket blitz from Michael Booth gave Warwickshire the advantage on Day Three but a fine innings from Durham’s Ben Raine rescued the hosts and set up an intriguing final day.

After frustrating Durham in the morning, the Bears were bowled out for 325, 62 runs behind.

Durham’s second innings started in a serene manner, but a fabulous four-wicket spell from Booth either side of lunch saw momentum swing the way of the visitors.

However, Raine had other ideas and picked up his 20th First Class half-century at the Banks Homes Riverside and combined well with David Bedingham for a partnership worth 88 to help his side set a target of 339 after finishing their second innings on 276 for eight declared.

Warwickshire began their chase late on and finished on 12 without loss, 327 behind the target.

Warwickshire kicked off the day on 287 for eight, with Booth unbeaten on 50 and he resumed alongside Ethan Bamber. The pair frustrated Durham in the early stages, taking Warwickshire past 300 and to a second batting bonus point. 

The resistance of Warwickshire was broken as Potts finally got a first innings wicket when Bamber departed for 21 after he edged one to Colin Ackermann at second slip. The final wicket fell soon after as Doggett bowled Vishwa Fernando to hand Warwickshire a first innings total of 325. 

Alex Lees and first innings centurion Ben McKinney began Durham’s pursuit of building their lead but Bears bowlers Bamber and Fernando kept things tight. 

Booth broke the Durham opening partnership as he got skipper Lees LBW for 32 and struck again as he trapped Emilio Gay LBW. 

Booth had another shortly after lunch as he produced a pearler of a delivery which knocked out two of Ackermann’s stumps and in the same over Ollie Robinson edged a delivery from the 24-year-old to Rob Yates at second slip to put the hosts in trouble.

Bamber joined in on the action as he got Will Rhodes LBW for 18. Despite the difficult situation he found himself in, Raine looked to be positive when he arrived at the crease, while McKinney remained solid as he did in the first innings.

Raine continued to attack but the Bears picked up the vital wicket of McKinney for 33 as he feathered a Barnard ball through to Kai Smith. 

That brought Bedingham to the crease, assisted by runner Ackermann due to a toe injury sustained in the first innings. Despite the injury, the South African played some delightful shots and had no problems finding the boundary.

Raine reached his 50 from 88 balls but was dropped by Alex Davies at slip on 55, after he nicked a delivery from Taz Ali. However, there was no mistake in the field for Bedingham as Bamber got his second of the innings when the Durham man picked out Dan Mousley at deep square and he departed for 45.

Raine continued to build the lead along with Potts and they took it over 300. But Raine departed for 81 shorty after as Yates got him LBW after he was hit on the pads while attempting a sweep.

Potts and Daniel Hogg continued to add vital runs for the hosts as they set up a declaration, which came with four overs left in the day. Yates and Davies saw Warwickshire through to the close, with a big job ahead of them on day four.

Michael Booth said: “I had two overs before lunch and thought I’d be quite attacking, try and sneak a few before lunch and I managed to get the two then. My tail was up going into lunch and then after lunch, I started off again and managed to get another two so I was very happy.

“When we had them four, five down we would’ve liked to squeeze and maybe get them eight or nine down before tea but obviously, as it shows, the pitch and an older ball doesn’t really do much for the bowlers. The only way we thought we were going to get wickets was to squeeze them and hopefully they would come to us, which I think they did.

“The declaration is exciting for us and I think if we just bat a normal day, it should be in our favour. We’ll wait and see what comes tomorrow but I think we’re just going to bat normally and see where it takes us.”

Day Two

Kai Smith and Michael Booth hit half centuries as Warwickshire fought back against a dogged Durham bowling attack.

Durham were dismissed for 387, adding 44 to their overnight total, with spinner Taz Ali mopping up the tail, picking up two wickets to give him figures of four for 66.

Warwickshire’s reply started well with Alex Davies and Rob Yates putting on 57 but they struggled to build on a promising opening as Daniel Hogg and Brendan Doggett put them in a spot of bother at 157 for six. 

However, Smith and Booth excelled with the bat to combine for a 115-run partnership which gave Warwickshire hope of getting close to Durham’s score, but a late cluster of wickets meant the visitors closed on 287 for eight, and a deficit of 100 going into Day Three. 

Resuming on 343 for seven, Ben McKinney and Matthew Potts were looking to pursue quick runs in the opening session. McKinney passed 150 with a nice flick off his pads for four but the opener didn’t last much longer as he was caught behind off Ethan Bamber for 153. 

Potts smashed a Booth delivery over the square leg boundary for six, but his excellent knock ended soon after as he was stumped by Smith off the bowling of 18-year-old Ali for 70. And the spinner wrapped up the innings in the same over when he got Doggett LBW.

Warwickshire’s opening pair of Davies and Yates started their reply well, with Yates producing a lovely cover drive for four off the bowling of Potts.

Davies found the boundary with a super straight drive off Hogg and a few balls later picked up back-to-back fours from the same bowler. Hogg responded though and removed the Warwickshire skipper for 38 as Davies chipped a ball to Emilio Gay, who caught at cover.

Hogg soon struck again soon with the 20-year-old producing a jaffa to bowl Hamza Shaikh for a two-ball duck before lunch.

Bears began the afternoon session in a calm manner, but they offered a huge chance to the hosts as Doggett forced Sam Hain into an edge but Will Rhodes dropped a regulation catch at first slip. 

Durham continued to probe and Yates and Hain were happy to absorb the pressure, but the pressure was too much for the former as he edged a Ben Raine delivery to second slip for 42. 

Hain started to make the most of his second chance as he played a lovely cover drive for four, while Dan Mousley looked good for 24, but Rhodes atoned for his drop by getting him LBW to swing the momentum back to Durham. 

Doggett was then rewarded for his hard work with his first Durham wicket as Hain edged behind to a diving Ollie Robinson for 30. Wickets came like London buses for Doggett as Ed Barnard skied one straight to the hands of Alex Lees at mid-wicket to depart for 12. 

Young wicketkeeper Smith looked good in the early stages of his innings and he picked up three boundaries from one Raine over.

Smith and Booth continued to frustrate Durham, with Smith impressing in particular as he adapted to the match situation and reached his 50 from 86 balls. 

Smith moved through the gears with a cut shot from the bowling of Rhodes going to the boundary and Booth got in on the act as he hit Colin Ackermann for back-to-back boundaries. However, just before the close Smith departed for 79 as he spliced a Hogg delivery in the air and Gay made no mistake at third man. 

There was another boost for the hosts when Raine got Ali LBW for one, but Booth reached his half-century in the final over of the day and remains at the crease with the visitors 100 runs behind.

Kai Smith said: “It was unfortunate I couldn’t kick on to get the big hundred, but I’m still happy to add runs to the board and get that lead down. I’ve still got full faith in the two, Bambs and Boothy, batting there. They’ll come in tomorrow and hopefully we’ll get a few runs on the board and lower the lead.”

“It does go to show that on a wicket like that even after losing a few quick wickets, if you give yourself time in the middle and stick to your basics then you can bat all day almost.”

“The pitch is definitely getting a little flatter, as long as you give yourself time out there you can score runs.”

“I’m absolutely loving being in the team, I’m just trying to take in as much as possible, learning from the guys.”

“It wasn’t a guarantee that I was gonna play, as long as you put in the hard yards, eventually good things are going to come out at the end of it.”

Day One

Warwickshire were left frustrated by an unbeaten century from Durham opener Ben McKinney after a strong bowling display looked to have given them the better of Day One.

Durham had the worst possible start when Ethan Bamber bowled Alex Lees in the first over. But they recovered with McKinney leading the charge, supported by Emilio Gay and the fortunate David Bedingham who was dropped twice on his way to making 58. 

Bears then took the initiative thanks to double-wicket bursts from Michael Booth and Taz Ali either side of tea, but Matthew Potts joined McKinney and made an unbeaten half-century to take Durham to 343 for seven at close.

Durham won the toss and elected to bat but the decision didn’t look a good one when Bamber cleaned up Durham skipper Alex Lees for a six-ball duck. 

McKinney and Gay settled the nerves and the hosts continued to tick along nicely through the two left-handers. McKinney showed a good balance of attack and defence amid some tight Warwickshire bowling.

However, Booth picked up a much-needed wicket as Gay edged a delivery behind to keeper Kai Smith for 41. But that brought last year’s top Division One run-getter David Bedingham to the crease.

McKinney and Bedingham resumed after lunch and they continued to combine well as the former reached 50 off 93 balls.

Bears then missed two big chances to get rid of the dangerous Bedingham, as the South African was dropped twice, both from the bowling of Bamber, with Smith and Yates failing to hold on to chances.

The drops were proving costly for Warwickshire as Durham talisman Bedingham reached his half-century from 88 balls, but Booth removed him for 58 after he trapped the him in front.

McKinney continued to impress but Ollie Robinson didn’t last long as Booth got his third scalp of the day when the wicketkeeper picked out Ali at extra cover for 12. 

Ali then got himself into the wickets with two in quick succession as Colin Ackermann holed out to the legside boundary for 18 after tea and he then bowled ex-Bears skipper Will Rhodes for a three-ball duck.  A third wicket in seven balls then came for the visitors as Ben Raine was bowled for four by Sri Lankan international Vishwa Fernando. 

Despite the chaos at the other end, McKinney remained calm and composed and reached his century from 186 balls after a nervy period in the 90’s where Potts had the bulk of the strike.

Potts supported McKinney well and produced some lovely shots. McKinney then heaved a Bamber ball over the legside boundary for six to pass his career best score and just before close Potts passed 50 for the fourth time in his First Class career.

Michael Booth said: “It wasn’t a bad day. I started well in the first spell, the second one I got rewards and you take those.

(On Bedingham wicket) “It 100 % was a good wicket to pick up, it was nice to get him out. He is one of the best batsmen in the County Championship I think, so it was good to get that wicket.

“Our captain actually said he was happy to lose the toss, he was unsure what was the better option. He said if we bowl first there’ll be enough in it and if we bat first we’ll cash in. I think it was a good toss to lose.

“I’m happy with my performance, I’ll take them as they come.”

(On Bamber form) “Bamber joined us from Middlesex this year. It’s been so good to work with him and get them nuggets of experience from him.”

“Hopefully tomorrow we get the last few wickets and will be batting before lunch, but if it comes to the worst then it’s just after lunch. That’s the plan.”