Match report Durham v Yorks, totesport League 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Durham v Yorkshire

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The weather ruined the Sunday league match between Durham and Yorkshire at the Riverside Ground at Chester-le-Street, with the latter looking favourites to win with a strong team and eager for victory to close the gap on Middlesex at the top of the Division B table. Yorkshire made a good start with 40 for no wicket in less than ten overs before rain intervened.

 

It was a grey overcast day with rain threatening as Yorkshire won the toss and decided to bat. Yorkshire were strengthened by the return of captain Craig White, Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey and England international Matthew Hoggard for this match. Durham for their part were without any overseas players, their usual signings being injured. Unfortunately, this report is being written from perhaps the worst positioned pressbox in the country, way beyond the cow corner boundary.

 

Neil Killeen bowled an impressive opening over to Matthew Wood, with the ball tending to keep low, beating him more than once, until the opener got him away for a single to third man off the final delivery. In Killeen’s next over White drove him straight back over his head for the first boundary of the innings.

 

The runs came steadily, White the more aggressive of the two with some powerful drives and leg-hits, but a light drizzle started and threatened to do the same. In the tenth over it finally became heavy enough for the players to leave the field, with Yorkshire 40 without loss (Wood 8, White 25).

 

The drizzle continued annoyingly, although much of the time it was not heavy enough to persuade most of the crowd to seek shelter or even an umbrella, or stop them playing cricket on the outfield. Had the players actually been on the field, they would not have come off, but there was a reluctance to start. However, it would have been in vain, as after a couple of hours it set in a little heavier and it was clear this was to be another doomed match.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)