Durham Match Thread 2025

[Durhamfootman]

the mercenary only added 3 this morning, but it was still 50 runs more than I would have let him have

139-3 after 60 overs, snails ain't in it. I watched the highlights from yesterday and we lost all our wickets trying to rattle the score along, which was probably the right thing to do judging by the way Hants have set about their reply. Glad I'm not there watching

speaking of glad I'm not there to watch, it's Mrs DF's birthday and so I haven't wasted any of my life watching the women's game today. It's cold and keeps on raining, so only 3 balls have been bowled..... just enough to lose Bates for a second ball duck

[captaincolly]

the mercenary only added 3 this morning, but it was still 50 runs more than I would have let him have

139-3 after 60 overs, snails ain't in it. I watched the highlights from yesterday and we lost all our wickets trying to rattle the score along, which was probably the right thing to do judging by the way Hants have set about their reply. Glad I'm not there watching

speaking of glad I'm not there to watch, it's Mrs DF's birthday and so I haven't wasted any of my life watching the women's game today. It's cold and keeps on raining, so only 3 balls have been bowled..... just enough to lose Bates for a second ball duck

Happy birthday to her.
Not going well at the Riverside- I'm not there either.
Think your assessment of the Hampshire pitch is spot on - seems to be a surface where it's hard to dismiss batters when they're get themselves in but also a pitch that is hard to score freely on.
Just have to try and keep chipping away - and take every chance that comes our way.
Having said that, Dawson got off to a flyer before lunch.

[Durhamfootman]

the girls are struggling. 125-5 with the game reduced to 39 overs a side. Still no runs for Bess Heath. I wondered if she'd pulled out the reverse sweep again in response to a period where she couldn't beat the ring, but not so..... this time it was a cutter pitched outside off that nipped back in at her and went straight through the gate to knock over leg stump. Just can't buy a run

Runs for capt Armitage again though. 81 no atm, which would make it her third half century and her second over 80 in just 4 knocks.


Potts picks up the wicket of Dawson. 237-5

[Durhamfootman]

very welcome late runs for the women

36 runs off the last 22 balls has pushed the score above 200 with 4 overs to play

[Durhamfootman]

The men are chip, chip, chipping away Hants are 276-6

The women have posted 216 all out..... it all rather fell away at the end. Still... 216 might be a workable total in a rain reduced game, although we might yet find that DLS looked at the rain interruption after 3 balls and decided that's enough of a reason to set Somerset a 199 target.... who knows it often feels as though they make it up as they go along

[Durhamfootman]

no Heather Knight for Somerset today, of course

[Durhamfootman]

and there you go..... I just don't understand what on earth DLS is about any more

3 balls were bowled before the rain interruption.... 3 balls. It cost us a wicket playing in those conditions and Somerset were not disadvantaged at all. We both have to bat the same number of overs and yet Somerset don't have to beat us, to beat us. We scored 216, they have to score 213 to win

how on earth does that make any sense at all?

see what I mean about DLS just making it up as they go along

[Durhamfootman]

I have a sneaky feeling that this the second time Somerset have won by scoring less than their opponents in the same number of overs. Might have been against Surrey, not sure

[captaincolly]

I don't understand DLS either, often comes up with strange looking targets.

Men's game should be a draw although they'll need to be careful in the third innings, 2 or 3 quick ones and the nerves might kick in. Of course we need the last 3 Hampshire wickets first.

[Durhamfootman]

we have one, but I'm not worried if we don't take another. The game is dead anyway...... edit: and now it's raining

As it stands, a win for Somerset and a draw for us would see us move up the table one place into 5th

[captaincolly]

we have one, but I'm not worried if we don't take another. The game is dead anyway...... edit: and now it's raining

As it stands, a win for Somerset and a draw for us would see us move up the table one place into 5th

That'd do nicely.

[Durhamfootman]

actually we'd move up to 4th thanks to Sussex having a week off

Given the nature of the pitch, it was probably a very good idea to give BR a rest. With no fixture on Friday, it means he gets two weeks to rest up. He had to bowl a lot of overs in his first 4 matches

[Durhamfootman]

and suddenly... bang, bang all out for 470. Yusuf does the damage

Hants opening their bowling with Abbott and Dawson

[Durhamfootman]

we went off again for rain, took an early tea, shook hands

what a waste of a game that was. Still..... up to 4th, but having played a game more than the teams around us

[captaincolly]

Campbell pretty scathing about the pitch. He says Bedingham, McKinney, Raine will be available for the next game and that Carse could well be playing too.