Durham 230 v 371/3 Nottinghamshire (County Championship Division Two) 22.04.22

*day two (of four)

If Carlsberg did Fridays they would favourably put Notts in control of cricket matches so that with two days to spare they’ll be up some and more with plenty of time and wickets in hand for a Saturday slog and an innings each to go at before Sunday’s end, and that’s very much how today went. Perhaps we’ll call it the Home Ales, Shipstones or even Castle Rock way?

Sun shining on the green grass of the Emirates sponsored Riverside, a ground that tickles the banks of the River Wear, and Notts are in bat, without loss, but that’s not for long as Hameed falls early, lbw to Potts for 33, the score with just ten added from the late session total built of 50 night last.

Duckett joins Slater and steadies the ship, the latter reaches his fifty as the away side cross the ton before Duckett himself adds to his two stunning innings against Glamorgan last weekend with another half century.

Duckett eventually goes for 54 with Notts losing Joe Clarke minutes before lunch for just one run, the green and golds 155/3 just 75 behind Durham’s first innings total.

Session Two is that owned by Lyndon James and Ben Slater as the pair rack up the runs of which Slater hits a milestone 6,000 in first class matches. The Chesterfield Churner then goes on to reach his hundred, a tenth first class ton in total for the 30-year-old as Notts surpass target and head towards 250, James follows confident suit as he soon passes fifty as the lead grows towards the fifty mark heading into tea.

That partnership grows ever more in the final session of the day as Slater before stumps reaches his 150 (currently 164 not out a best ever score in Notts attire), James himself reaching a career best 105 not out and first ever century as Notts ramp up a lead well over one hundred (currently at 141) and a fourth wicket partnership of a fabulous 216.

What goes tomorrow? Notts will try and get a good couple hundred and more runs ahead, and hopefully have a bowl at a Durham side destined for defeat. A good day for Notts, one in which they’ll be keen to strengthen some more in their favour from the Saturday morning play onwards.

Durham XI: Jones, Dickson, Petersen, Borthwick (c), Bedingham, Eckersley, Raine, Trevaskis (Drissell), Potts, Rushworth, Gibson.

Nottinghamshire XI: Hameed, Slater, Duckett, Clarke, Mullaney (c), Moores, James, Patterson-White, Pattinson, Fletcher, Paterson.

Venue: The Riverside Ground, Chester-Le-Street

*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).

*Main image @TrentBridge Lyndon James scored his first ever century and highest Notts score.