Durham Dominate Day Three

Durham dominated the third day at Emirates Riverside, as Matty Potts blitzed six wickets in the day, before Michael Jones scored his maiden first-class century to give his side a commanding 394-run lead approaching the final day.

Colin Ackermann top scored with 81, while the Leicestershire attack was devoid of both Chris Wright and Beuran Hendricks, who had picked up injuries bowling in the first innings.

Resuming on 159-2, only five runs were added before Azad (66) became Potts’ first scalp of the day, thin edging a short delivery he was trying to leave through to Ned Eckersley behind the stumps.

Louis Kimber got off the mark first ball, fending another short ball from Potts to the third man boundary for four. But it was to be all she wrote for Kimber, as he dragged on attempting to pull to leg in the next Potts over.

The Potts blitz continued for a third consecutive over, this time picking up Nick Welch LBW for two on his first-class Running Foxes debut.

A first batting point was accrued in the fourth over of the new ball, Harry Swindells guiding two Chris Rushworth deliveries to the fence.

But disaster struck in the following over, as Ackermann, who looked destined for a century, was caught behind off Ben Raine. The Running Foxes’ skipper trying to drive a delivery that shaped away nicely at the last minute.

Ed Barnes was the next man in with the score reading 204-6. Like Kimber, he got off the mark first ball with a shot guided down to the vacant third man boundary for four.

Barnes was on 15 when he became Potts’ fourth dismissal of the morning shortly before lunch.  A snorter took the glove, and, after being juggled by Scott Borthwick at second slip, was eventually taken by David Bedingham at first. Leicestershire lunching on 232-7, trailing by 169.

A second batting bonus point was brought up in the 102^nd over, as Hendricks took a gentle single off Oliver Gibson.

However, County’s nemesis returned in the ninth over post-restart and struck first ball. Potts’ fiver-fer eventuated as Swindells nicked to second slip for 29; this time the catch was taken cleanly by Borthwick.

Will Davis became Potts’ sixth wicket of the day in his next over. A sharp delivery with extra pace climbed to Davis’ midriff, before the Running Foxes’ bowler chipped the ball straight back to Potts for a simple caught and bowled.  

After pulling up with a groin issue on day one, Wright was only fit enough to emerge as a number 11, with Kimber nominated as his runner.

The crocked 36-year-old accumulated six but was caught by Raine when he decided to advance down the track to Liam Trevaskis. Leicestershire 273 all out. Hendricks (21*) again the undefeated batsman.

With a lead of 155, Durham decided not to enforce the follow-on. It was to be a tough second half of the day for the Running Foxes’ attack, with both opening bowlers Wright and Hendricks unable to bowl due to injury.

Understandably. Leicestershire were on the defensive. Most of the field was out to protect the boundary, while Davis in particular adopted a wide, T20-like line and length.

With just a four-man attack, comprising Davis, Barnes, plus part-time spinners Ackermann and George Rhodes, the mission was to stem the flow of runs as Durham put their foot on the accelerator.

The Durham openers were relatively unscathed, although Sean Dickson was dropped on 40, top edging a sweep to Welch off the last ball of Ackermann’s first over. Tea followed with the total on 77 for no loss.

Dickson and Jones put on 152, before the former lofted Barnes to Davis to depart for a quickfire 84. New man Keegan Petersen was dropped on 33, although to be fair to Rhodes it was a lightning quick caught and bowled chance.

Jones eventually brought up his maiden first-class hundred via a four off Rhodes, before the Leicestershire all-rounder got his revenge, trapping the opener LBW for a well-earned 108.

Two further runs were added before the close came with Durham on 239-2, leading by 394 runs heading into the final day. Play resumes at 11am.