Durham Match Thread 2026

[Durhamfootman]

Given the ease with which Kent are scoring runs, it's telling that Crawley was the man to get out early

I reckon if we'd won the toss, Lees would have chosen to bowl.... especially if the sun was beating down as well

[captaincolly]

Definitely looking like a good toss to win. If it's a batting paradise it makes Crawley's failure stand out.
The way this is going he might not get another bat in the game.

[Durhamfootman]

clearly bowling is tough, because Stokes has decided to bowl around the wicket to a right hander

[Durhamfootman]

Bedders put Dawkins down on 63 and represents the only edge this session

[Durhamfootman]

they're playing in the rain atm. I can see it dripping off the camera

[Durhamfootman]

Northeast spoons one up, but it doesn't carry to anyone.

Stokes is in full England bang it in short mode in an attempt to make something, anything, happen

[Durhamfootman]

last over of a tough old day although we made a few inroads with the new ball. Raises the hope of perhaps getting a head of steam going in the morning, because apart from the 300 partnership, nobody else has made a score.

After 96 overs of play, pretty much the only marks on the pitch are the ones where the batters have been scraping away with their spikes

[captaincolly]

Yes, very hard going apart from the new ball wickets

[Durhamfootman]

have you seen the pitch, Capt? It looks like it was baked hard, then waxed and polished before the game

[captaincolly]

have you seen the pitch, Capt? It looks like it was baked hard, then waxed and polished before the game

Oh dear. Not what you want, it seems to be all set up for a draw after one day. Although that might be tempting fate!

[Durhamfootman]

well, we did suddenly pick up 3 wickets in a handful of overs with the new ball, so there is the potential to fall in a heap when our turn comes

Graham Onions suggested that we probably didn't bowl that well early doors. An understatement, I'd have thought. Once their pair got in, it was an easy pitch to stay in on. We dropped two catches and were ruthlessly punished. Those two drops cost us 170 runs and the chance to bowl them out on day 1 on a road

We really will have to run through them in a clatter this morning, because if another partnership gets in and settled, we could be looking at two full days of energy and morale sapping toil..... unless it ssipes down of course

[captaincolly]

We do seem to drop a lot of catches and end up having to bat under more pressure than we should have.
Done well to win a couple of games after the opposition looked on top but at some stage the drops and poor sessions will cost us.
Those wickets with the new ball and again this morning suggests there is something there if the bowling is accurate.

[Durhamfootman]

3 wickets in the first 2 overs, followed by the inevitable lower order stand.... currently 82

[captaincolly]

Now 100 partnership- quickly as well!

[Durhamfootman]

naturally!

broken now though on the stroke of lunch

We'll be hoping for a quick burst and turnaround after the break