Day Three
Result: Essex 2nd XI (353/6d & 203/7d; Walter 74; Pringle 3/26) beat Durham 2nd XI (231 & 182; Poynter 68, Carse 50; Allison 4/44) by 143 runs
Valiant half centuries from Stuart Poynter & Brydon Carse could not save the Seconds from defeat on the final day of the three-day friendly against Essex at Chelmsford.
The pair, who hit their second fifties of the match having scored 87 & 56 respectively in the first innings, were again the top scorers.
But Durham were hampered by the loss of key top order wickets in their pursuit of 325 to win & dropped to defeat.
Spinners Ryan Pringle & George Harding took five wickets between them as the hosts upped the tempo on the third morning, with Carse taking the other two to fall.
They are back in action in two limited overs friendlies against Scotland ‘A’ on Monday & Tuesday of next week (15/16 April), with both games being played at South Northumberland CC.
Day Two
Close, Day Two: Essex 2nd XI (353/6 & 14/0) lead Durham 2nd XI (231; Poynter 87, Carse 56; Plom 4/54, Beard 3/46) by 136 runs
Stuart Poynter top-scored with 87 as Durham’s Second XI made 231 on the second day of the friendly against Essex at Chelmsford.
Poynter, replacing Ned Eckersley after he was selected in the first team squad, made his runs off 107 balls including 16x4s before being trapped LBW.
Brydon Carse also chipped in with a half century but Alan Walker’s side trailed by 122 runs on first innings.
Essex closed on 14 without loss, a lead of 136.
Poynter found himself in a tricky situation, coming to the crease at 13/3 after early wickets.
But he was soon in his stride, looking particularly comfortable on his favoured cut shot as he found the boundary with regularity.
Poynter & Carse put on 108 for the fifth wicket before Scott Steel added an unbeaten 32, but he lacked support from the lower order.
Day One
Close, Day One: Essex 2nd XI (236/4; Walter 63; Carse 1/25) vs Durham 2nd XI
Four Durham bowlers shared a wicket apiece on a rain shortened first day of the Second XI friendly against Essex at Chelmsford.
76 overs were possible after the entire morning session was lost to bad weather, with Essex reaching 236/4 at the close of play.
Brydon Carse, bowling with the red ball for the first time since June last year, was the standout bowler in taking 1/25 off ten overs.
His wicket of Feroze Khushi, a centurion in the 50-over game on Monday, was a sharp, rising bouncer fended to Ryan Pringle at second slip.
Academy seamer Oliver Gibson had experienced opener Varun Chopra caught behind, Josh Coughlin clean bowled top-scorer Paul Walter & Pringle dismissed wicketkeeper Will Buttleman.