Durham v Worcestershire: Day One lunch

Jun 30 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

MARK Davies and Liam Plunkett both struck on their return from injury as Durham made lightwork of Worcestershire's openers and the absence of Steve Harmison and Graham Onions.

It is not often Will Smith will win the toss at the Riverside and decide to bowl, but in muggy conditions Durham's skipper clearly still backed his bowling attack.

Much of Durham's success this season has been down to the hostility of Harmison and Onions with the ball, but both have been asked to play for the England Lions side against Australia this week.

Durham, though, have always been confident about their strength in depth and the return from injury of Davies and Plunkett could not have been better timed for head coach Geoff Cook.

Davies has not played all season following an ankle problem, while Plunkett has been missing for more than a month with a niggling groin strain.

With Harmison and Onions both unlikely to play in the First Ashes Test against Australia in Cardiff next week, Davies and Plunkett know this is a chance to earn the right to play alongside them when they do return to county duty.

Interestingly, neither opened the bowling with Callum Thorp and Mitch Claydon stepping up from first and second change to lead the attack.

Thorp was unlucky, Daryl Mitchell survived two strong leg before appeals and a caught behind shout. Claydon was a little wayward but economical as Worcestershire laboured in conditions which gave the bowlers every opportunity to move the ball in the air.

There are few bowlers in first class cricket who enjoy bowling in them than Davies and he was the first bowler to make a breakthrough, Alexei Kervezee lazily prodding the ball into the reliable hand of Michael Di Venuto at second slip for just 6.

Plunkett, like Claydon, found it difficult to find a consistent line and length but he produced a lovely full delivery to have Mitchell caught behind by wicketkeeper Phil Mustard for 13.

That reduced Worcestershire to 26-2, before Ben Smith decided attack was the best form of defence with Moeen Ali to keep the scorers busy.
It was a brief counter-attack, however when Dale Benkenstein's solitary over before lunch saw Ali depart, caught superbly by Plunkett at third slip.

Gleefully celebrated by the Durham team, it is funny how much joy a wicket for a part-time bowler brings.

Worcestershire were in a spot of bother at 60-3 at the end of the session.