Report on second day of Durham v Yorkshire, 15th July 2003 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Durham v Yorkshire

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Overnight: Yorkshire 340 for six (White 82*, Gray 60*).
Lunch: Yorkshire 448; Durham 8 for no wicket (Lewis 5*, Gough 2*).
Tea: Durham 193 for five (Peng 4*, Mustard 10*).
Close: Durham 327; Yorkshire (2) 2 for no wicket (Wood 1*, Fleming 1*).

It was a day of incident at the Riverside ground as Yorkshire strove to take the advantage on the second day of their match against Durham. There was a most worthy century from Craig White, an incident between Steve Kirby and Shoaib Akhtar, and an entertaining Durham innings that alternatively faltered and prospered, constantly producing promising stands that were broken just as they looked dangerous. Finally Durham avoided the follow-on with eight wickets down and Yorkshire finished the day with a lead of 123, all their second-innings wickets intact and having taken all eight bonus points.

Darren Gough was not consistently at his best but he stayed fit; Simon Guy had a good day behind the stumps; and most of the Yorkshire team contributed significantly to the action on a long day caused by a vile over rate that is likely to cost them penalty points.

Yorkshire, resuming at 340 for six, suffered an early blow with the loss of Andy Gray to the second ball of the day. It seemed a soft dismissal as he went on the back foot and punched Shoaib Akhtar straight to the fielder at short cover to depart for 60.

This brought in Darren Gough, who no doubt also realized that some good runs would do his England claims no harm. He was to make only 4, however, as in Shoaib’s next over he fenced at a lifter and gloved it to the keeper. Hopes of a 400 total receded as this the eighth wicket fell for 346.

Ryan Sidebottom played with some spirit, though, in support of Craig White, and Steve Harmison took a bit of stick as Sidebottom off-drove him for two and four, and then White hit two successive boundaries to reach his second successive century, which came off 199 balls. Shoaib was bowling with great pace and getting the ball to lift dangerously, though, and he finally removed Sidebottom for 12, fending a catch to short leg.

The 400 came up with last man Steve Kirby at the wicket, as White hooked the tiring Shoaib for two successive boundaries. Kirby proved even more obdurate than Sidebottom, though scarcely attempting a scoring stroke. In contrast to his holiday-camp first day, when he bowled just 14 overs in four brief spells, Shoaib bowled and bowled. One slipped and Kirby was forced to duck a beamer that just cleared his back. True to his reputation, Kirby was furious enough to scorn the apology and follow Shoaib back up the pitch with words that may or may not make headline news worldwide, but White calmed him down. Three balls later Kirby played the first aggressive stroke of his innings, slogging a four to cow corner and following it up with more invective.

That was Shoaib’s final over, his spell of 11 being his longest for Durham. Graeme Bridge, the left-arm spinner who replaced him, took less than two overs to do the trick, having Kirby caught at bat-pad for 17 and leaving White unbeaten on a magnificent 135. The Yorkshire total was an imposing 448, the last wicket having added 66. Shoaib finished with the best figures of three for 87 off his total of 25 overs, with two wickets each for Harmison, Wells and Bridge.

The start of the Durham innings saw Gough taking on Gough, but with no winner in the two overs before lunch. After the interval the captain, Jon Lewis, was soon trapped lbw by Kirby for 7, but Gough (Darren) failed to reach a possible return catch as Gough (Michael) drove straight but uppishly when he too had 7. Yorkshire were enthusiastic and sharp in the field, as well they might be after the individual heroics in their innings.

Kirby struck again by having Gordon Muchall caught at the wicket for 8, and Durham were struggling at 27 for two. Durham, in particular Gough, responded with positive strokeplay and a flurry of boundaries. Gary Pratt joined in and after 14 overs the score had rocketed to 81. The Yorkshire Gough bowled just four overs before being replaced by Sidebottom, without troubling the batsman unduly, but then returned from the other end, still not at his best.

The rate did slow a little, Gough returning to his shell, but Gary Pratt ran up a dashing 51 off just 46 balls, with 10 boundaries, before edging Sidebottom to third slip, trying unsuccessfully to withdraw his bat, the total then being 102 for three off 21 overs. But the Yorkshire bowlers were unable to maintain any pressure on the batsmen and the runs continued to flow, more from Vince Wells than from Gough. The team was also running the risk of another points penalty with a very slow over rate.

Gough returned for a third spell, and Wells took heavy toll of deliveries outside off stump. Yorkshire’s vibrancy in the field was steadily diminishing at this point. Gough the batsman worked his way to a fifty off 102 balls, just before Wells, who scored a brisk 42, lunged at Gray outside the off stump and was caught at slip. This was perhaps the turning point of the innings.

Within minutes, one Gough edged the other to slip, only for Yuvraj Singh to miss a hard chance straight to him. Two runs were scored – but next ball Yuvraj made amends by taking an even harder chance, diving low to his left quite brilliantly to send Michael on his way for an anchor innings of 54. Durham were now 177 for five, just before tea, taken 45 minutes late due to the dismal over rate, with both sides guilty.

Nicky Peng struggled for 8 before being superbly caught down the leg side, off Sidebottom, by keeper Simon Guy, who generally had a fine day behind the stumps and is strongly recommended by Dickie Bird. The Durham keeper, left-hander Mustard, was batting with some fluency, scoring 32 before Guy took another good catch, down the leg side standing up to McGrath, reducing Durham to 240 for seven and in danger of following on; that target was 299.

Shoaib seemed determined to hit every ball out of the park. His first scoring shot just fell short of the midwicket boundary; he missed, he snicked, he hit his partner Bridge with a straight drive, and then put one high over the stand at cow corner. He hit over the keeper’s head – involuntarily – almost over the sightscreen, and even played one or two shots vaguely recognizable from a coaching manual.

Kirby was given the ball, which promised to satisfy the bloodlust of the crowd. He hit Shoaib on the chest with one ball; the batsman picked it up and handed it back to the bowler, who obviously still held a grudge as he snatched it from him. Shoaib pulled the next delivery down the throat of deep square leg and departed for 25.

The last two wickets needed to add 15 to avoid the follow-on. Progress was painful, keeping the crowd tense. It was particularly important for Yorkshire, with news of rain likely over the remaining two days, and a disappointment when the determined Bridge edged Sidebottom uppishly to third man to pass the target.

On 300 Nicky Hatch (4) played on to Gray but, with a relaxation of pressure, Bridge and last man Harmison hit out gaily, the former going on to a well-deserved half-century before being trapped lbw by Kirby for exactly 50; Harmison was unbeaten with 14, almost every run greeted enthusiastically by the crowd. Durham were out for 327 and Yorkshire took a lead of 121. Kirby finished with four for 93, giving him 23 in his last five championship innings, with two wickets each for Sidebottom and Gray.

Yorkshire had three overs to face before the close, but only one was possible before the umpires decided the light was too poor. The time by now was almost 7.30.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 John Ward)