LVCC Hampshire v Durham Day 3

Champions Durham had one wicket in hand going into this third day of the County Championship match against Hampshire. Resuming on 435 for 9, Steve Harmison and Scott Borthwick looked to add as many runs as possible but fortunately for the home side they lasted only 10 balls. David Griffiths trapped Harmison leg before for Durham to end their first innings on 439 all out.

Jimmy Adams and Liam Dawson began Hampshire’s innings positively. Harmison opened the attack for the visitors and it was a lively over. Adams nudged the first ball to cover for an easy single before Dawson guided a perfectly timed cover drive for the first boundary. The next ball saw Dawson edge a Harmison short delivery that fell tantalisingly short of third slip.In the 8th over spinner Ian Blackwell replaced the ineffective Mark Davies to attempt to decrease Hampshire’s run rate.

Adams and Dawson had found the rope on many occasions but with Durham’s aggressive field placements, they found their first wicket. Dawson, surrounded by five fielders, mistimed a Blackwell delivery that looped up for wicketkeeper Phil Mustard to make a diving catch. Dawson was looking in good form but he had to depart having scored 29.Blackwell picked up his second wicket quickly. Michael Lumb, trying to hit through cover, was trapped leg before for 6 reducing Hampshire to 72 for 2.

James Vince entered the fray looking to stabilise and build a partnership with Adams and his first boundary came after 9 overs with an excellent drive through extra cover.Durham started to implement spin from both ends with Borthwick joining Blackwell in attack as they looked for a further breakthrough before lunch and they found it. Borthwick seduced Vince (8) into playing a straight drive but the ball found an inside edge and then pad before being caught by Will Smith.

It left Hampshire 87 for 3 at lunch.

Durham continued with their spin attack after lunch and in the third over Adams made his 7th fifty of this Championship season, off 78 balls and with 6 fours. He wasn’t to last much longer, however, when on 57 he hit a Borthwick delivery straight to Harmison on the square leg boundary, bringing stand-in captain Nic Pothas to the crease on 114 for 4.

Initially runs were hard to come by for Pothas and number 5 batsman Chris Benham, the exception being Pothas hitting two spectacular fours in one over, the second straight back over bowler Blackwell’s head.But it was Benham’s afternoon and he too reached fifty off 78 balls and with 6 fours – his first in the 2009 Championship. His strokeplay was impressive and included a beautifully swept boundary off Borthwick as well as elegant cover drives. Pothas was happy to take the supporting role and at tea he had made 32 off 93 balls while Benham had charged ahead with 71 off 114.

Hampshire went in for tea on 207 for 4, their first batting point from this game securely in the bag.Straight after the interval Davies came into the attack for the third time to try to break the stubborn partnership between Pothas and Benham that had moved past 100 in the 69th over. Durham became more defensive in their fielding and runs became harder to find for the batsmen.

The visitors opted for the new ball as soon as possible to unleash the lethal ‘Grievous Bodily’ Harmison to try to end this immovable partnership. Apart from it being maiden, his first over accomplished little and it didn’t threaten with much authority.The next over saw Pothas taking advantage of a loose Blackwell delivery that he punished through cover for a boundary. With a single in the 83rd over Benham moved past to his own personal best First Class score of 95.

Pothas, in his 200th First Class game, made his 50 off 192 balls with 7 fours when he drove a Blackwell delivery down the ground to the ropes for a boundary.Benham then moved on to his maiden First Class century in the following over, off 185 balls with 10 fours, by running a quick three after playing to the mid off fence. Whilst on 100 Benham perished; he edged to Michael Di Venuto in the slips for Borthwick to claim his third wicket of the match on his County Championship debut.

Nightwatchman David Griffiths came to the crease to see out the day’s remaining overs. He did just that as he got out to Plunkett for a single, bringing the end of the day’s play; Pothas will resume tomorrow on 55 not out.

Hampshire finished the day on 267 for 6.

Match reporting for Hampshire CCC Website