Durham Match Thread 2026

[captaincolly]

Thought it wasn't the easiest pitch and that we should have batted first. Very poor display- great timing to have the worst performance of the season in front of a bumper crowd!
Women continuing to show promise.

[Durhamfootman]

I didn't realise that we'd won the toss.

Ryan Campbell said that the Yorks score was no more than par and at the interval he had no doubts that we'd chase it down. He also noted that Yorks took some time to ajust to the pitch after losing early wickets in order to build that par score, but that our batsmen, Bedders apart, just went out there and tried to flog it everywhere. He didn't look at all happy at the way we approached the chase last night.

the clues were all there in the women's game if anyone had taken some note of it. As soon as we slowed the bowling down we strangled the scoring and took the wickets. Without seeing it, I'm guessing that Yorks did the same thing

Pace off the ball works up here

How many years have we been saying it?

Was it really busy?

[Durhamfootman]

where were all the students? I assumed they were in the trapdoor stand as usual, but that looked empty on the highlights

[captaincolly]

I'm not sure where they were, was a pretty raucous atmosphere when I got there. Could actually hear the crowd when I was walking through the park. It was kamikaze batting going for those big shots chasing that modest score on a sluggish pitch.

[Durhamfootman]

Oh crikey, we’re at it again

[Durhamfootman]

Just spotted that the women went to TB and beat Notts

Another good result

[captaincolly]

Maybe the women should have played both games! The men had a partial recovery after an awful start but you'd think the chances of defending 156 are pretty low!

[Durhamfootman]

Well beaten

Might end up being one of those years

[Durhamfootman]

Nothing for Sowter again and went for a few too

Big difference to the last couple of years. We could do with him finding a bit of form

[captaincolly]

He's usually so reliable, if he doesn't regain form I think this will be a really tough campaign.
The lack of fire power you worried about in the middle order is increasingly apparent. Is that now 2 first ball ducks from 2 innings when Raine was sent in early!

[Durhamfootman]

he got a 9, I think in the second game, so probably two first ballers in 3 knocks when promoted up the order. Free wickets!

[Durhamfootman]

I noticed that Trudy Johnson lost her radar a bit in one over in the last match, that's happened in each of the last two matches, after being really controlled in the first two matches.

On Friday she bowled 3 consecutive leg side wides in one over and had to swap from around to over the wicket to get back, but still conceded another couple of boundaries and didn't bowl out. Yesterday she started one of her overs with two wides that went for 4 each, so 10 runs, and then got clobbered as well

Of course, she's not yet 20 years old, so there's a lot of learning still to do and she has bags and bags of potential. Could do with finding a way to get her radar back a bit quicker when she loses her line

Another very good knock from Bess Heath. 36 off 18 or 19, I think. Added the impetus in the middle order that the men lack atm. My heart is still in my mouth every time she gets the reverse out though.

[captaincolly]

he got a 9, I think in the second game, so probably two first ballers in 3 knocks when promoted up the order. Free wickets!

It's definitely a plan that's not working!

[Durhamfootman]

I keep looking at that Jimmy Neesham shaped hole in the middle order

[captaincolly]

I keep looking at that Jimmy Neesham shaped hole in the middle order

You were right about that. There's a lack of power hitting.