Harte, Lees pass 50 but Durham defeated

Day Four

Close: Derbyshire (197 & 334; Hosein 62, Lace 61; Salisbury 3/65) beat Durham (171 & 235; Harte 69, Lees 59; Critchley 3/54) by 125 runs

Matt Critchley and Logan van Beek inspired Derbyshire to a 125 run victory after Durham looked set to save the Division Two match at Derby.

Alex Lees and Gareth Harte scored half centuries but Durham, set an improbable 361 to win the game, fell from 177 for 4 to 235 all out.

Critchley took 3 for 54 including two wickets in two balls and van Beek followed a stunning catch to remove Jack Burnham for 32 by bowling Harte for 69 and then removing Stuart Poynter in his next over.

Ravi Rampaul also took two wickets and after the second new ball sealed Durham’s fate, there were just over 18 overs remaining when Luis Reece clinched victory.

Durham’s chances of saving the match looked good after Lees and Harte batted through most of a sunny morning before Critchley struck twice in consecutive balls.

There had been few alarms for the openers on a pitch which had flattened out but after Lees swung Critchley’s first ball for six, he edged the third to short leg and the next had Will Smith taken at slip.

Michael Richardson could do nothing with one from Rampaul that kept low and bowled him five overs after lunch but Harte and Jack Burnham played with increasing authority to suggest Durham might be in with a chance of chasing down the 361 target.

But the game turned back towards Derbyshire as both were dismissed in the space of six balls after adding 57 in 17 overs.

Burnham tried to whip Wayne Madsen through mid-wicket but van Beek plunged to his left to take a breathtaking catch and in the next over he brought one back to end Harte’s 258 minute occupation.

Poynter was caught behind in van Beek’s next over and the rest of the innings fell away rapidly. Ben Raine drove back a return catch to Critchley, James Weighell was run out by a direct hit from mid off and Matt Salisbury edged Rampaul to first slip.

Liam Trevaskis and Chris Rushworth delayed Derbyshire’s celebrations but defeat was confirmed when Reece swung what was the last ball before the delayed tea interval in to trap Rushworth lbw.

Durham are back in action on Thursday when Sussex visit Emirates Riverside.

Day Three

*Please note we are experiencing technical problems with the Match Centre, which is pulling through last week’s Durham MCCU fixture. We are aiming to rectify this ASAP.

Close, Day Three: Durham (171 & 10/0) vs Derbyshire (197 & 334; Hosein 62, Lace 61; Salisbury 3/65) – Durham require 351 more runs to win

Durham’s openers stood firm to give their side a chance of an opening win after Day Three against Derbyshire.

Alex Lees and Gareth Harte battled through a testing last session to reach 10 without loss at the close in pursuit of a victory target of 361.

Derbyshire had taken control with Tom Lace making his maiden first-class half century before Harvey Hosein and Matt Critchley scored 50’s as Derbyshire reached 334 with Matt Salisbury taking 3 for 65.

That left Durham an awkward 17 overs to survive and Lees and Harte dug in to deny Derbyshire before bad light ended play early.

Although Derbyshire went into the day with an advantage of 133, Durham still had a chance if they could take early wickets but they managed only one in the morning as Lace and Alex Hughes wore down the bowlers.

The ball moved around in murky conditions but although the bat was beaten numerous times, Durham had to wait 18 overs for the breakthrough.

Lace and Hughes played with discipline and restraint until Lace fenced at a wide one from Harte and was caught at second slip.

Hosein provided some acceleration to take the lead past 220 at lunch and after Hughes had been caught behind off Harte for a three hour 39, Critchley countered with some punishing strokes.

He reached 50 off 60 balls and Durham’s frustration grew as both Hosein and Critchley survived dropped catches.

Both fell before tea but by then, Derbyshire were 320 ahead and they batted on with Ravi Rampaul striking Liam Trevaskis for two big sixes before he was last out pulling Salisbury to mid-wicket.

Durham are chasing the second highest fourth innings total at Derby and although the pitch had flattened out, they faced a tricky period before the close.

Only nine runs came from the first 11 overs as Lees and Harte concentrated on defence and their application was rewarded when the umpires took the players off the field two balls into the 15th over.

Day Two

Derbyshire’s Luis Reece finished with a five-wicket haul as Durham were unable to build on the advantage handed to them by the bowlers at the County Ground.

Reece took 5 for 47 as Durham were bowled out for 171, 26 behind Derbyshire who closed on 107 for 3, 133 in front, with Tom Lace unbeaten on 41.

The morning session was always likely to be pivotal in the game and although Durham started well, Rampaul undermined them with two quick wickets in the space of three overs including the big one of Alex Lees.

Nightwatchman Matt Salisbury had survived for nearly 50 minutes but he was undone by a short ball before Lees was caught on the crease for 32 after 143 minutes of watchful accumulation.

Stuart Poynter played across the line at Tony Palladino and although Jack Burnham and Liam Trevaskis briefly raised Durham’s hopes of at least parity, three wickets in five overs tilted the game towards Derbyshire.

Burnham flirted at a ball from Reece, and Trevaskis and James Weighell edged into the safe hands of Wayne Madsen at first slip.

Only some muscular blows from Ben Raine, including a pulled six off Rampaul, denied Derbyshire a bigger advantage before he skied Reece to third man.

The sun had been out for much of the day but the clouds rolled in to increase the demands on the batsmen and Derbyshire lost both openers before tea.

Reece avoided a pair but played slightly across the line at Salisbury and was caught at second slip before skipper Billy Godleman edged a loose drive at Raine.

After tea, Wayne Madsen’s attempted cut at Salisbury was well taken by Lees and Durham’s claim for a slip catch when Alex Hughes had scored seven were turned down after the umpires consulted.

Durham will still fancy their chances if they take early wickets on day three but with Lace growing in confidence before bad light ended play 10 overs early, Derbyshire are well placed to build a sizeable lead.

Day One

Durham made full use of helpful conditions to bowl Derbyshire out cheaply despite an impressive half century from Harvey Hosein as the seamers dominated on the opening day of the Division Two match at Derby.

Ben Raine & James Weighell each took three wickets but Durham were held up by the 22-year-old wicketkeeper.

Chris Rushworth claimed the first wicket of the County Championship season with the first ball of the match but Derbyshire hit back late in the day through Luis Reece to reduce Durham to 41 for 3 at the close.

Derbyshire’s decision to bat first was surprising given a grassy pitch and overcast conditions and they were left to regret it as Rushworth struck twice in his opening over.

Reece edged to second slip before the third ball knocked out Wayne Madsen’s off-stump and Rushworth then saw Tom Lace dropped by wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter in his next over.

Raine had Lace caught at second slip and when skipper Billy Godleman edged one that moved late, Derbyshire were in danger of crumbling completely at 36 for 4.

But Hosein displayed technique and temperament required to steer his side towards semi-respectability.

Alex Hughes looked ready to dig in and survived for 16 overs until he drove loosely to cover point and Matt Critchley shared a stand of 56 in 18 overs before he was lbw to Gareth Harte.

Hosein, who reached 50 from 106 balls, was also supported by Anuj Dal who helped add 50 before he edged Weighell to Poynter but the innings folded quickly after tea.

Logan van Beek was bowled by Raine, Tony Palladino was yorked first ball by Weighell and when Ravi Rampaul took off for a quick single, Raine’s throw on the run from cover beat Hosein’s despairing dive.

When Durham replied, the sun had broken through but batting was still demanding and Harte was close to edging the first ball from Rampaul to Hosein.

Derbyshire’s bowlers were getting some swing and Reece made the breakthrough in the 10th over thanks to a stunning catch by Hughes.

Harte’s edged drive was brilliantly taken one-handed as Hughes plunged to his right at second slip and Will Smith was lbw to a full length ball in Reece’s next over.

The match was back in the balance when van Beek replaced Reece and his second ball hurried Michael Richardson into a miscued pull to mid-wicket.

By now, the light had deteriorated even with the floodlights on and the umpires took the players off with three overs remaining and the match in the balance.