Durham scupper Yorkshire fightback

May 17 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

LATE yesterday morning Durham were doing a good job of making their captain look foolish. Having decided to bat Yorkshire out of it by not enforcing a follow-on, the hosts encouraged them, collapsing to 44-3 and 112-6

It was only crueller in the long run, building up Yorkshire’s faint hopes only to smash them down once Durham’s batsmen found their feet. The hosts’ first Championship win of the season was wrapped up late on day three by an emphatic margin of 295 runs.

Dale Benkenstein has a habit of rescuing his team and once he found some company, the captain restored order. Having missed the previous week’s drubbing at Old Trafford, he must be wondering what all the fuss was about.

The South African and Michael Di Venuto – batting at eight after Durham tried unsuccessfully to protect his injured finger – steadied the ship with an unbroken stand of 93 before declaring. The chance to bat again presented a welcome opportunity for makeshift opener Ben Harmison, Kyle Coetzer, Neil McKenzie and Phil Mustard to kick-start their seasons but all wasted it. Facing returning Matthew Hoggard under overcast skies was never going to be easy but the quartet must start seizing opportunities

Harmison can consider himself unlucky after being given lbw to a ball which looked to be going over and leg-side of his wicket, but McKenzie played a wild shot and Mustard swiped across the line for single-figure scores. Overseas players can be hit or miss in county cricket and McKenzie has just two more Championship games to avoid joining the depressing list of foreign Test stars to have sullied reputations with Durham. Coetzer departed in an eventful 13th over of the innings which saw him beautifully off-drive Tim Bresnan for four then edge to Anthony McGrath at second slip just after dropping the ball in front of him.

Benkenstein, though, leg-glanced his first ball to the boundary off Hoggard and looked just as confident for the rest of his unbeaten 86. Once Di Venuto (45 not out) belatedly came out to play, Durham settled back into the box seat.

Graham Onions steamed in, claiming 3-23, his last wicket drawing applause from England selector James Whittaker at the back of the Press box. Slanting the ball into Jacques Rudolph’s middle stump, he moved it away to find the edge, then Mustard’s gloves. Having already sent back Adam Lyth and McGrath lbw – also for ducks – Yorkshire were 10-3.

All Durham’s pacemen bowled well, a more consistent Steve Harmison getting in on the act when Andrew Gale fended at a short ball. His second wicket was classic Harmison, two corkers past the outside edge then one pitched up to find the edge. The only pity was he wasted it on a batsman of Hoggard’s limited ability.

Joe Sayers threatened resistance until Kyle Coetzer’s excellent catch at third slip for Ben Harmison’s first Championship wicket of 2008. He then moved a ball into the driving Adil Rashid to find off stump. Gerard Brophy played the next delivery onto his wicket from Mark Davies.

Bresnan’s reckless pull to Harmison junior was followed by Darren Gough pulling one from Davies onto his stumps. Steve Harmison finished it with a fine full ball to bowl Deon Kruis two overs into the extra half hour for figures of 3-39.