Sehwag, considered one of India’s finest batsmen of the modern era, scored at more than a run a ball to help his side cruise to the target of 224 and inflict a six wicket defeat on Durham.
When the teams arrived at the Sheikh Zayed stadium, the picture looked fairly bleak. Heavy rainfall caused a delayed start to day four, and with strong winds and a chill in the air, the Durham players probably thought they had somehow arrived back in Chester-Le-Street. Umpires Nick Cook and George Sharp announced that eight overs had been lost, but when play did start, Sehwag seemed in a hurry to chase down the target.
Resuming on 48-2, Sehwag hit 14 from the first four deliveries, quickly out-scoring his partner Daniel Bell-Drummond. Durham were struggling to make a breakthrough, and MCC passed three figures not long before Sehwag was raising his bat to acknowledge the applause for a 47-ball half-century.
Spin had accounted for 11 wickets earlier in the match and Scott Borthwick used his athleticism to dismiss Bell-Drummond with a sharp catch off his own bowling. Sehwag continued to assert his dominance though and played with his usual attacking verve. The 35 year old dispatched Borthwick for consecutive boundaries after the young spinner had switched ends and Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel was proving to be a useful foil as the MCC batsmen took lunch just 52 runs short of their target.
Durham tried a variety of bowlers to stem the flow of runs but it proved to be in vain as Sehwag struck yet another boundary to bring up a masterful century in just 88 balls. Sehwag was only able to add nine more runs before striking a Jamie Harrison delivery in the air, with the ball superbly caught by Paul Coughlin at backward point. By then though, the damage had been done.
Patel and Prasanna Jayawardene knocked off the final few runs to ease their side to victory, meaning Durham’s pre-season campaign is off to a losing start. The team’s next game is a two day friendly contest with Kent at Canterbury, starting on Monday.
Day 3: Durham (248 & 257) v MCC (282 & 48-2). MCC require 178 runs to win with eight wickets remaining.
A wonderful century from stand-in Durham captain Mark Stoneman has set up an exciting final day run chase in Abu Dhabi.
The MCC require 178 runs to win with eight wickets in hand after Stoneman had helped the county champions post 258 in their second innings.
Although Stoneman was the star of the day with a brisk 115 from 172 balls, Gordon Muchall provided useful support with a half-century. Under the floodlights at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Durham were then able to take two wickets, although MCC captain Virender Sehwag remains at the crease.
Durham made the worst possible start to the day’s play as Scott Borthwick failed to add to his overnight score. Borthwick, who managed a half-century in the first innings, was caught behind off the bowling of Kyle Hogg. Michael Richardson joined Stoneman at the wicket, but after reaching double figures he fell victim to a straight delivery from left arm seamer Harry Gurney. Phil Mustard’s stay at the crease was brief but Stoneman continued to score fluently, reaching his half century in just 66 deliveries.
Stoneman, who scored over 1,000 Championship runs last season, struck 15 boundaries in his innings and the Newcastle-born left hander was given a warm ovation from his teammates after he reached three figures. He and Muchall looked to be building a promising partnership until Stoneman was eventually bowled for 115 by the experienced New Zealander Andre Adams.
It was up to Muchall to try and add some valuable late order runs and the 31 year old, who finished last season with a half-century against Surrey, repeated the trick here to help Durham nudge past the 200 mark. Usman Arshad, Paul Coughlin and Jamie Harrison all got into double figures as Jon Lewis’s side finished their innings on 257. This gave Durham a 20 over spell to try and make some inroads into the MCC batting line-up.
With the sky dark and the floodlights on, young Jamie Harrison continued his fine form in the match with the early wicket of Luis Reece. Reece edged a catch behind for Mustard to take, and when Sam Robson was dismissed by Borthwick, Durham were buoyant. Although Daniel Bell-Drummond and Virender Sehwag guided their side to the close without any major scares, the final day run chase is unlikely to be easy.
Day 2: Durham (248 all out & 39-1) lead MCC (282 all out) by 5 runs
Jamie Harrison took five wickets and Scott Borthwick added to his half-century on the opening day with a three wicket haul as Durham fought back against the MCC
Scott Borthwick led the fight back against the MCC as he claimed a trio of victims including the prized wicket of Virender Sehwag, with Jamie Harrison making quick work of the lower order. In reply, Durham lost the wicket of Keaton Jennings but established a five run lead in their second innings at the close of play on day two.
With Graham Onions rested, the pair of Chris Rushworth and Harrison took the new pink ball, but Luis Reece and Sam Robson were watchful and put on a half-century for the first wicket. Robson, who scored back-to-back centuries for the England Lions in February, was first to depart as Usman Arshad trapped him leg before wicket. Durham were then made to toil in the Abu Dhabi sunshine as Reece was joined by Daniel Bell-Drummond and the pair put on 112 for the second wicket. Rushworth returned to the attack to dismiss Bell-Drummond for 54, which brought Indian cricket legend Virender Sehwag to the crease.
The MCC skipper’s wicket was the one that the Durham bowlers prized the most and it was Borthwick who continued his excellent form by having the 35 year old caught by Arshad for just five. Reece continued to accumulate runs despite Sehwag’s dismissal and was closing in on a century before Borthwick accounted for him as well. On a dry pitch, Borthwick was asked to bowl a lot of overs but returned impressive figures of 3-95 from his 27 overs, including the wicket of former Sri Lanka international Prasanna Jayawardene.
Despite not picking up any wickets in his first spell, Harris returned to the attack with devastating effect. Harris dispatched England International Samit Patel before mopping up the tail, as the MCC lost seven wickets for just 77 runs after the tea interval.
Unfortunately, Keaton Jennings couldn’t add to his half-century in the first innings as he was bowled by Kyle Hogg without scoring but Mark Stoneman and Borthwick safely negotiated their side to the close and established a slender lead of five runs.
Day 1: Durham (248 all out) v MCC
Half-centuries from Keaton Jennings and Scott Borthwick ensured Durham posted 248 all out on the first day’s play in Abu Dhabi against the MCC.
Stand-in captain Mark Stoneman won the toss and elected to bat first on a dry pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Stoneman opened the innings with Jennings, but the skipper only lasted five balls as he was bowled by Nottinghamshire seamer Harry Gurney. That wicket brought Borthwick to the crease, and the young duo put on 84 for the second wicket. Borthwick, fresh from making his England test debut against Australia in January, was in particularly fluent mood as he struck 11 fours in an innings of 50.
MCC captain Virender Sehwag, accustomed to the dry pitches in India, introduced spin early on as Monty Panesar and Ollie Rayner were brought into the attack to restrict the flow of runs. Panesar accounted for Borthwick, before Lancashire’s Kyle Hogg trapped Michael Richardson for just seven. Phil Mustard then edged a delivery from Hogg through to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene and when Jennings was dismissed for a patient 64, Durham were stuttering at 150-5. Gordan Muchall and Usman Arshad lead a mini-revival but Panesar accounted for Muchall and Paul Coughlin in successive deliveries to expose the tail.
The County Champions nudged their way past the 200 mark, but Hogg claimed his third victim of the day when he wrapped Arshad on the pads with the 21 year old on 34. Ryan Buckley was then bowled two balls later but a spirited last wicket partnership between Jamie Harrison (11*) and Chris Rushworth, who struck a career best 29, ensured Durham posted 248. Rushworth was dismissed with the final ball of the day as Panesar claimed his fifth scalp, meaning the Durham attack know they will be bowling straight away when they arrive at the stadium on day two.