Wickets tumble at Brandon
Tue 12 May 2015
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Fifteen wickets fell on the first day of the three-day Second XI Championship match between Durham and Leicestershire at Brandon CC.
The approach to Brandon Cricket Club takes you through a once thriving and vibrant mining village that is now somewhat tired and desolate. If you had Ghost Town by The Specials playing on your radio as you drove along the surrounding streets to the ground it would fit in perfectly with the surroundings.
Brandon Cricket Club is on a kind of plateau, very exposed to the north east winds, and has panoramic views to the East, whereby just past the distant wind turbines is Hartlepool. Brandon Cricket Club was also the first UK Cricket Club of one James Allenby, a number of his shirts from his professional days are displayed in cases within the Pavilion.
I am reliably informed that beneath the surface of the cricket playing area is colliery shale, as at one time a pit head was very nearby. The ‘Scorers Suite’ in the Pavilion, has a side on view of the play.
Dan Redfern lost the toss on a cool and windy day and Durham elected to bat. Clark and Burnham opened up for Durham and took the score to 20 before Clarke (13) was caught behind by keeper Matt Cross off Alex Wyatt. Some players then called for more sweaters after seven overs.
After the 11th over Joe Dawborn (pictured above) replaced Wyatt at the Durham End, bowling into the wind, just after a short break for rain. Dawborn the Deamon, proceeded to destroy the Durham middle order with a devasting spell, picking up four wickets in his first three overs. First to go was skipper Muchall (6), caught in the point area by Peter Drysdale.
Dawborn had the flavour for wickets, and had Ryan Pringle (0) first ball trapped lbw by Dawborn. Another wicket then fell with the score still on 43 when Dawborn had Stuart Poynter (0) caught at mid off by Redfern. Hickey (2), who had an outstanding day in the T20 matches on Monday, was then bowled by Dawborn, Durham being reduced to 49-5 from 15.5 overs.
The players left the field due to rain at 12.46 and an early lunch was taken at 1.00pm with Durham on 70-5 from 19.5 overs, Burnham 15* Coughlin 15*. After lunch Durham, seeking to rebuild their innings did so in the form of a solid partnership between Burnham and Coughlin.
Burnham, went to market, setting his stall out to play a very patient innings, despite surviving a unified shout for a caught behind by Cross off Dawborn. At one point there was a seaside air to the proceedings, Burnham (on sea) facing the bowling of Wells (next- the- sea). Burnham (42) was eventually dismissed caught by Cross off Wyatt, making Durham 135-6 off 37.2 overs.
Dylan Budge came in, but went for 0, caught by Wells at slip off Sykes. Sykes was bowling a tidy spell from the Scoreboard End and was extremely unfortunate to see a couple of chances spilled, plus having an lbw shout turned down, the decibel level of which challenged the sound barrier.
Coughlin (54) was eventually dismissed by the Cross /Wyatt combination. Coughlin’s 50 (7x4) was registered from 78 balls. The total was now on 148-8. Then followed a stubborn partnership between Bousfield and Harrison and the pair took Durham into tea on 190-8.
After tea, Bousfield went to his 50 (9x4) from 71 balls. Bousfield (68) was eventually lbw to James Pearson, operating from the Scoreboard End, the score now 251-9. Jamie Harrison and Barry McCarthy added 45 for the last wicket, before Harrison became Cross’ fourth victim, this time caught off Wells, who had taken the new ball along with Dawborn. Durham all out for 296 from 82.4 overs.
Leicestershire had 19 overs to bat in the day but were in trouble at close of play on 50-5. Matt Pardoe (3) went to a combined Irish dismissal, caught behind by Poynter off McCarthy. Aadil Ali (6) went caught at gully off the impressive Harrison.
Redfern (20) was caught behind by Poynter off Harrison, Wells (0) went second ball, adjudged lbw to Harrison, and the carnage was complete when Matt Cross (0), went third ball, again caught behind by Poynter off Harrison. County closed on 50-5 with Drysdale 11* and Basit Zaman 5*. These pair negotiated 52 balls between them, County trailing by 246 runs.
Although Durham had the better of the day, your esteemed ‘reporter of events’ had a splendid days conversation with the ‘stand in’ Durham Scorer. This gentleman a Leicester exile, being a season ticket holder at Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons and a Member of Durham CCC and Leicestershire CCC, plus an occasional visitor to the King Power Stadium! Superb memories, and stories all round.
