Yorkshire v Durham: Day four result
FOR the second time this season, Durham were helped to a County Championship draw by a combination of bad light and rain but some solid batting from makeshift opener Scott Borthwick seemed set to to ward off the threat of defeat with or without it.
The champions had been asked to follow-on against Yorkshire - for the second time in three Championship matches this season - but their rearguard action came to an end when play was suspended at 3.10pm. It was not long before the players were shaking hands on a draw.
Borthwick was batting in place of Michael Di Venuto, who felt a back injury as he came out for this morning's warm-up. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
It was a big promotion for the 20-year-old, who batted at number ten in the first innings because of Durham's use of a nightwatchman. But having finished the first innings unbeaten on 20, he came straight back out for another knock. When the weather intervened he had made a further 21.
Borthwick continued to impress off the back foot, particularly severe on his former England Under-19 team-mate Adil Rashid.
Finding himself in the unusual role of senior opening partner, Kyle Coetzer also looked good in his unbeaten 23. Durham's only scare came when a ball from Tino Best - bowling from the Rugby Stand End - shot through but missed both Coetzer's bat and the stumps.
The Riversiders were 46-0 when the players came off. Their first innings had lasted just six balls after lunch. Chris Rushworth hit the first delivery on the resumption behind square for four, but Best had his revenge by removing middle stump with a full ball.
Durham had made 330, 20 runs short of a fifth bonus point. Yorkshire earned six.
Read Saturday's Journal for a full report of day four and a preview of this weekend's 40-over games.
