Weighell and Jennings highlight Durham’s resolve

Durham 190 and 154 for 4 (Jennings 88*) need 84 more runs to beat Warwickshire 313 and 114 (Weighell 5-33)Scorecard

Durham supporters steeling themselves for the possibility of another Test mismatch after events at Headingley can at least find consolation that this Championship encounter has thankfully been made of sterner stuff. For three days, the leaders Warwickshire have failed to kill off a dogged challenge by Durham, the upshot being that they will begin the final morning 84 runs short with six wickets remaining. There is no doubt where the grittiest cricket has been on show.

When it comes to toughness of character, Keaton Jennings loves nothing better than to sandpaper a bowling attack into submission. He began the season against Lancashire with centuries in both innings – only the third Durham batsman to achieve the feat – and his unbeaten 88 showed the same unyielding qualities. His fifth-wicket stand with Paul Collingwood was worth 67 from 23 overs at the close.

Viewed through an international prism, Durham, the hosts for the second Test, are in a mess. Appalling Test advance sales seemingly give them no immediate hope of reducing debts totalling £5m, especially with Ben Stokes hors de combat, but on the field, under the captaincy of Collingwood, their pluck can be taken for granted.

Durham’s tail is a long one: this match remains decidedly in the balance. But if they pull this one off, back-to-back wins (they beat the leaders Lancashire at Old Trafford last week) would be a powerful retort to those who imagined they might be relegation fodder. Instead it is Surrey, rich enough to lend them a few bob, whose season is turning sour.

Durham’s ability to produce cricketers in the north-east also deserves to …

continue reading in source www.espncricinfo.com

Related Posts

• 
  Anderson becomes No. 1 Test bowler
• 
  Vice-captaincy will not affect my batting – Rahane
• 
  Shaminda Eranga reported for suspect action