Ben Raine

Ben Raine finished a notable 2024 campaign as Durham’s top wicket-taker with 58 wickets in all formats and new List A and T20 best figures.

Raine was also Durham’s second-highest wickettaker in the County Championship, taking 32 wickets in 11 games at an average of under 30.

He had reason to celebrate off the field, too, with the birth of his first child towards the end of last season.

After a wicketless start at Edgbaston, Raine was his dependable self, taking five wickets away to both Worcestershire and Lancashire before three wickets in each innings at home to Somerset.

Raine ended his red ball season on a high, taking a wicket with the first ball of the game in consecutive County Championship fixtures against Somerset and Lancashire.

Against Lancashire, he went on to take figures of 5/44 in the first innings, his best efforts of the County Championship season. This included his 250th first-class wicket for Durham as he made the most of bowler-friendly conditions.

Raine had Luke Wells caught behind and then produced a magnificent delivery, which nipped away and bowled Keaton Jennings. A thin edge from Josh Bohannon to Robinson gave the Durham seamer his third wicket.

Raine had a fourth when George Balderson edged a drive to second slip and completed his five-wicket haul when he had Anderson Phillip leg before wicket.

The 33-year-old also enjoyed success with the white ball; Durham’s highest wicket-taker in the T20 Blast with 21 wickets and claimed best figures of 5-21 against Birmingham Bears.

On his way to claiming his maiden T20 five-wicket haul, Raine bowled beautifully, taking crucial wickets at critical times.

The seamer cranked up the pressure with a clever over, which cost just five, and then bowled Chris Benjamin and Aamer Jamal with the first two balls of his next. Raine returned to bowl Jake Lintott and then completed the win in glorious style by knocking out George Garton’s middle stump.

Raine also secured his best List A figures of 4/30 in Durham’s final Metro Bank One Day Cup group game against Derbyshire.