The Durham battle plan is a simple and brutal one: bat with an attritional mentality and trust their immensely talented seam bowlers to blast out 20 wickets.
That is close to what has happened against Somerset, who, with Nottinghamshire, are the champions’ nearest pursuers. Having dismissed the visiting team for 174, albeit with a surprising input of spin, Durham set themselves yesterday to climb slowly towards the distant peak of 300.
They did not quite do that, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul could not be faulted - or defeated - in making a valuable 117 and he received enough support to forge a lead of 98. A match-winning advantage? It looked like it until Marcus Trescothick and Arul Suppiah reduced it by 41 runs, without loss, before poor light ended the day early.
Starting the day on 110 for three, Chanderpaul and Dale Benkenstein, arguably Durham’s most reliable batsmen, stayed together for most of the morning as only 59 runs were added. Benkenstein’s lifting of a back-foot slap to backward point was the first mistake, soon followed by edges from Ian Blackwell and Phil Mustard to good balls from Ben Phillips.
A lunch score of 169 for six gave Somerset sudden hope, but Chanderpaul’s efforts were fortified by the freer strokeplay of Liam Plunkett. Together they added 69, while Callum Thorp helped to ensure a second batting point.
Advertisement
As for Chanderpaul, he must have driven all bowlers mad: continually playing inside the ball and therefore not playing it, and waiting patiently for one that he could brush off his pads to mid-wicket or drive without fear.
He had faced 220 balls when the tail deserted him, swept away by splendid attacking bowling with the second new ball by Charl Willoughby, who finished with five for 56.
Somerset have been greatly dependant on Trescothick and Suppiah and the openers, albeit with a few close shaves against Graham Onions, survived with their poise almost intact.
Today’s weather may ensure a draw - although that is not quite what Somerset need. They also have the worry of a possible points deduction for a slow over-rate. It is a consequence of not bowling enough spin.
Somerset: First Innings 174 (A V Suppiah 53; I D Blackwell 5 for 7)
Second Innings
M E Trescothick not out 18
A V Suppiah not out 21
Extras (b 1, lb 1) 2
Total (no wkt, 12.5 overs) 41
Bowling: Onions 6-0-25-0; Harmison 6-2-14-0; Plunkett 0.5-0-0-0.
Advertisement
Durham: First Innings (overnight 110-3)
S Chanderpaul not out 117
D M Benkenstein c Suppiah b De Bruyn 30
I D Blackwell c Kieswetter b Phillips 0
†P Mustard c Langer b Phillips 2
L E Plunkett b Willoughby 32
C D Thorp c Hildreth b Willoughby 15
G Onions c Kieswetter b Willoughby 0
S J Harmison c Kieswetter b Trego 1
Extras (b 9, lb 12, w 2) 23
Total (89.5 overs) 272
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-24, 3-104, 4-161, 5-162, 6-166, 7-235, 8-267, 9-271.
Bowling: Willoughby 22-7-56-5; Thomas 20-4-54-0; Phillips 20-2-46-3; Trego 11.5-4-42-1; Banks 2-0-15-0; De Bruyn 11-3-31-1; Suppiah 3-1-7-0.
Umpires: R J Bailey and J H Evans.