Durham Vitality T20 Blast at Chester le Street Win

 

OUTLAWS EDGE ENTERTAINING SLAPSTICK COMEDY 

on a night where umpires redefine what is a wide

Notts won an entertaining 11 over slog at the Riverside last night by the narrow margin of 2 runs defending a total of 98 for 9. Samit Patel was very much to the fore bowling 3 overs and taking 2 wickets for 16 runs after Steven Mullaney had top scored with a 23-ball 34. The match was a bit of curate’s egg, Mullaney hit Notts’ solitary six, whereas Durham hit six over the ropes. Notts hit 12 fours compared to only four for the home side. Five of the Notts dozen were off the bat of Tom Moores who played the most fluid innings of the evening with an eleven ball 25 including three boundaries in four deliveries off Aussie right arm seamer Andrew Tye who took 1-35 in his three overs.

With Chester-le-Street hit by a 30-minute deluge 75 minutes before the scheduled start of 1830, the outfield which had initially contained puddles turned out to be slow and damp during the contest which obviously hindered run scoring.

Durham won the toss and decided to bowl. The original plan was to have a 16-over game starting at 1945. However, a further short shower at 1940 delayed the start once more. The game eventually started at 2013 in front of good-sized crowd as a 11 over contest. Zak Chappell was replaced by Lyndon James in an otherwise unchanged starting eleven.

Raine bowled the first over from the Lumley End, Clarke lofting his first delivery for a straight four. Clarke was caught at deep mid-wicket by Trevaskis off Raine off the fifth ball of the over, 6 for 1. Seven off the first over. Duckett hit Carse’s second ball to the point ropes. Off the fifth delivery of the over, Hales (1) cross batted Carse straight to Turner at mid-off, 12 for 2. Duckett (10) hit Tye for four through mid-wicket, but fell next ball skying the ball to Turner at mid-off, 18 for 3. Moores hit his first delivery to the extra cover boundary and his second ball was four to third man. The last ball of the Tye over was steered for four by Moores to wide third man, 28 for 3 overs. The over went for 16 runs, which turned out to be the most expensive of the game.

Christian was caught by a running back to long leg Clark off Carse for a 2-ball duck. Mullaney hit his first delivery for four through extra cover, Notts 32 for 4 after 3.2 overs, which was the end of the powerplay. Carse (2-0-13-2) conceded 8 off the 4th over. Moores hit Trevaskis for a straight four and off the next delivery found the extra cover ropes. Moores (25) was dropped at long on by Jones but departed next ball excellently caught by Middlesex loanee Nathan Sowter off slow left-armer Trevaskis at deep extra cover, 48 for 5 off five overs. Mullaney drove leg-spinner Sowter for four, nine off the 6th over. Trevaskis (2-0-19-1) conceded seven off the 7th over. Mullaney lofted Tye for four through extra cover, nine off the 8th over. Coughlin bowled three successive wides, but he removed Budinger (10) caught at wide long off; Trevaskis diving forward to take the catch, 79 for 6. Budinger had faced 10 balls and against his cavalier style contained no boundaries Coughlin then bowled a no ball, 10 off a 10-ball 9th over. Mullaney hit Tye for a 6 over square leg but four dot balls followed, Tye aiming the ball outside off stump was extremely lucky not to be called for at least two wides by Grim Tim who was assisted by Neil Pratt, the brother of former Durham stumper Andrew and also bother to Ashes legend and Ricky Ponting’s best mate Gary. Mullaney skied the ball to Clark on the mid-wicket ropes but he dropped the ball and it tricked for 4 in front of the well populated County Durham Stand. James attempting a switch hit was lbw to Raine, 93 for 7. Patel was bowled by Raine for 1, 95 for 8. Carter (3) was run out going for impossible two by Trevaskis at long on. Notts 98 for 9 off 11 overs. Mullaney 34 not out (4x4, 1x6). Raine 3 for 12 off 2 overs the Durham stand out.

Carter (Lumley End) bowled the first over and had Clark caught behind for 1, 3 for 1 after 5 balls. Three off the first over. Jones pulled Fletcher (Finchale End) for 4 and four balls later a 6 over mid-wicket, 13 off the 2nd over, Jones who batted throughout the innings did not find the boundary ropes again. Aussie Ashton Turner (3) was caught by Hales at mid-on off Carter, 20 for 2. Trevaskis swept his initial delivery from Carter (2-0-13-2) for six, 26 for 2 off 3 overs. Trevaskis swept Patel for 4, Durham 31 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.

Trevaskis (12), making room, was bowled leg stump by Patel, 33 for 3, seven off the 4th over. Raine hit Mullaney for successive sixes over mid-wicket, 12 off the 5th over plus a leg bye. Raine on 12 was dropped by Duckett low down at mid-wicket off Patel, 6 off the 6th over. A rare blip from Patel who was bowling as wily as ever with the damp ball. Raine who played onto his was leg stump by Christian for 16, 55 for 4. The skipper preferring himself with the ball rather than James. Carse hit his first delivery for an offside four, nine off the 7th over. Carse (5) hit Patel (3-0-16-2) straight to Christian at extra cover, 62 for 5, three off the 8th over and Durham seemingly favourites so far, suddenly needed 35 off the last 18 deliveries. Eckersley hit Mullaney (2-0-25-0) for a straight six, 13 off the 9th over. Fletcher (2-0-19-0) went for only 6 runs in the penultimate over, an over once more where umpire Robinson failed to flap his arms a couple of times, as Fletcher like Tye got away with a couple of wide ones.

Durham required 16 off the last over with Christian (2-0-20-1) bowling from the Lumley End. The first ball was a very wide delivery, which bizarrely Pratt considered legal. It was followed by a straight driven four by Eckersley, the third ball went for an enormous leg side six, the biggest of the night, Durham favourites once again. The fourth delivery was a single by Eckersley to mid-off. The fifth ball was a leg bye ran by Jones to Moores. Durham required four to win off the last ball but a leg side delivery from Christian hit Eckersley on the pads and only another leg bye could be obtained. Victory for Notts with the clock showing 2202. Durham finishing on 96 for 5 after their 11 overs with Jones undefeated on 30 off 25 balls and Eckersley 24 off 13 balls. They had added 34 in 3.2 overs but had failed to get Durham over the line.

Notts despite winning on consecutive nights are all but out of the competition. The fourth-placed Vikings having stuck the boot in at Wantage Road can now only be matched in points, but they hold a much superior run rate. Notts remain cemented in seventh place in the standings as they don their whites once more tomorrow for the top of the table clash against Middlesex. MAG

Live Stream rating: Low-end Moderate (**) - graphics covering over live action repeatedly, blacked out on several occasions, blurred at the start and the "wide" GIF that cuts over audio and everything else and lasts between 5 seconds and half an hour (it feels like). But, it's free and it's available, so well done DCCC

As announced yesterday:

Joe Clarke
Alex Hales
Ben Duckett
Tom Moores
Samit Patel
Steven Mullaney
Dan Christian
Calvin Harrison
Matt Carter
Luke Fletcher
Dane Paterson
Sol Budinger
Lyndon James

Zak Chappell