Yorkshire vs Durham - Scarborough Weds 28th August

The top two sides in Division 1 of the County Championship meet at North Marine Rd, Scarborough starting tomorrow. Yorkshire lead Durham - who have a game in hand over all other Div 1 sides - by 25.5 points (and Middlesex and Sussex by 33). Victory for yorkshire would make them heavy favourites for the title, but a Durham win would really open things up.

On a small(ish) ground that favours batsmen usually we can expect to see a lot of runs winning the toss can be vital. On a clear day sides will bat and score plenty. However if the sea fog is around the start of the day could offer considerable help to seam attacks - and both sides have very good seam bowlers.

Team News:

Yorkshire - Joe Root unavailable as in Englands T20 squad. Jonny Bairstow's seems to be available as not in T20 squad nor in the 50 over England squad. Less certain about Gary Ballance who has been called up to the ODI squad.. Injury doubts over Phil Jaques.

Possible team:
Lees, Lyth, Gale, Williamson, Ballance, Bairstow, Rashid, Plunkett, Sidebottom, Patterson, Brooks.



Durham - should be at full strength.





I wish I could be up there, always enjoy the Scarborough matches.

Durham win toss and elect to bat.

Teams:

Yorkshire
A Lyth, PA Jaques, KS Williamson, AW Gale*, GS Ballance, JM Bairstow†, AU Rashid, LE Plunkett, RJ Sidebottom, SA Patterson, JA Brooks

Durham
MD Stoneman, KK Jennings, SG Borthwick, WR Smith, BA Stokes, PD Collingwood*, MJ Richardson, P Mustard†, MA Wood, C Rushworth, J Harrison

Very strong Yorkshire team. Unlucky for Lees missing out but that is a strong Yorkshire batting line up.

Durham unlikely to achieve the kind of walkover they did against Surrey in the last match.

Alex Lees very unlucky.

Ryan Sidebottom takes two wickets in an over to leave Durham on 12-2.

Durham fighting back after early loss of three wickets.  Not hanging about either as Stoneman scores a rapid century.

My parents are at the game. Spoke to them at lunch and apparently the sun is out and the pitch looks true.

Stoneman had some nervy times ion the first hour, but then cashed in once the opening bowlers were replaced. Durham on the front foot now.

On cue, Stoneman is dismissed by Sidebottom.

Much needed wicket and the day is back in the balance.

Well in the end a very, very good day for Durham.

Yorkshire need to wrap up the Durham innings within the first hour, then bat well and long.

has anyone seen the game live? If so just intrested in how Mustard's and Bairstow's keeping is getting on this year..

CF wrote:has anyone seen the game live? If so just intrested in how Mustard's and Bairstow's keeping is getting on this year..

Sadly I was unable to make Scarborough this year.

Cannot comment on Mustard. Bairstow's keeping has been OK. Better than Yorkshire members have any right to expect considering how little time he actually has had with the gloves this season, but certainly not international class. (Mind you Prior, who has been good wityh gloves the last couple of years, has been poor this summer)

Three separate centurions for Durham as they make 573.

After the dismal batting in their first innings of the season (bowled out for 96 at Hove) Yorkshire have batted pretty well. they will need to be right at their best to avoid Durham making big inroads to the championship lead.

Yorks lose two wickets in two balls.  Ballance run out first ball.  Durham right on top again.

Yorkshire doing much better second time around, currently 203-1 with Jaques and Williamson both unbeaten on 105 and 71 respectively.

They still trail by 96 so still a long way to go.

Loss of two early wickets to Stokes after the big partnership put Yorks on the back foot again.  But still all to fight for with the scores about level.