Durham Match Thread 2026

[Durhamfootman]

I won't be able to go to this one. I'll be too busy on Friday washing clothes, and getting ready for my week away on Sat. I only have about a weeks worth of non work related clothes anyway, so an 8 day trip means I need every stitch of clothing that I own

[captaincolly]

Have a good trip!
Has there been any sign of Will Rhodes? He did well in pre season and was withdrawn on the morning of the Keht game on " medical advice" which suggests it wasn't an injury. Don't think there have been any updates although I may have missed them.

[Durhamfootman]

it was illness, rather than injury, I think, but he'll probably miss out regardless, because the top order have all scored runs in his absence and if Parky is included in the side (and he should be) then Aldridge will take the 4th seamer/all rounder role

[captaincolly]

it was illness, rather than injury, I think, but he'll probably miss out regardless, because the top order have all scored runs in his absence and if Parky is included in the side (and he should be) then Aldridge will take the 4th seamer/all rounder role

Yes, think it'll be an unchanged side

[Durhamfootman]

I've just noticed what a paucity of cricket there is between now and the start of the dribble. After this home game v Lancs, which I can't go to, the next 3 matches are all away. Once the Lancs game is completed, the women go off on their own travels for two matches. So the only cricket over a 4 week period are two tier one matches.... and one of those is a Wednesday. I was able to watch county cricket on the 4th April but then not be able to go to another until 12th June.... and I'm only going away for a week's *modded* holiday

it just seems like odd scheduling.

If I remember correctly, last year, when the men were on their travels (and not 3 consecutive away games) I went to, what felt like, a load of Tier one matches. This year, when the men get back and the dribble starts I'm assuming there will be a load of double headers and tbh I'd much rather that they were spaced out a bit so I could go for shorter days, but more often

[Durhamfootman]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cj40j55zewpo

They've got a week off after the game, so I reckon Lancs are just teasing us

bleeding obvious

It's only really the media that are gullible enough to fall for that sh1t

[captaincolly]

The schedule does seem even more erratic than usual and that's saying something.
Was surprised we chose to bowl this morning, feels like a batting day- and fielding first has backfired before.
Hopefully I will be proven wrong.

[Durhamfootman]

we have won the toss and chosen to bowl

feels risky to me. Weather has been good lately and if we don't take lots of early wickets we risk being behind for the whole game. Still....... it isn't as if we are ever likely to panic and fall apart when the pressure is on. Without seeing the pitch, I'd have batted. Maybe we chose to bowl so that Jimmy couldn't tear out our top order for nowt in the first half hour

A good test this.

[Durhamfootman]

great minds think alike

[Durhamfootman]

we did this a few times last year, I think, and it was a horrible season

[Durhamfootman]

There are so many old boys in this Lancs side that it's hard to guess which of them will kill us

[Durhamfootman]

No Roach

I've just noticed

Connors comes in in his place. Still no place for Will Rhodes

[captaincolly]

Hadn't noticed that.

[Durhamfootman]

Balderson really is opening the batting, so maybe Lancs feel that there are early wickets there and want to protect their gun batters. The Somerset strategy

[Durhamfootman]

3 down, including Jennings for 150 runs fewer than I thought he'd get

Corporal Jones in next and 15 mins to go. It would be good if we could nip him out in the couple of overs before lunch..... after all, it's what he used to do every time he played for us in this situation

Parky to bowl a couple?