Durham notch first Division One win since 2016

Durham 244 and 397 for 5 dec (Bedingham 138, Borthwick 75, Robinson 67*, Clark 50*) beat Worcestershire 184 (Libby 61, Potts 3-40) and 272 (Libby 50, Coughlin 4-45, Potts 2-57) by 185 runs

Durham are celebrating their first victory of the season after defeating Worcestershire by 185 runs with a day to spare in the Vitality County Championship encounter at Kidderminster.

Worcestershire were set a demanding 458 target but any realistic hopes of victory were broken by Paul Coughlin‘s initial three-wicket burst. Matthew Potts pressed home the advantage and, with half the side dismissed for 121 in only 28 overs, the contest was effectively decided despite late resistance from Nathan Smith and Matthew Waite.

Durham were convincing winners of the battle of last season’s two promoted sides.Their attack of Ben Raine, Potts and Coughlin showed their quality throughout after a wash-out of the opening game versus Hampshire and playing on a batters paradise with a Kookaburra ball at Edgbaston.

For Worcestershire, it was a wake-up call after playing some excellent cricket in the opening two games against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. Their attack did not bowl with the same sustained accuracy as their opponents and of the batters only Jake Libby and Smith in both innings and Waite in the second suggested permanence for any lengthy periods of time.

Durham resumed on 319-5 and Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark plundered 78 off 13 overs to set up the declaration after 50 minutes play. Robinson followed his first innings half century by pulling and straight driving Adam Finch for successive fours to reach a 65 ball fifty.

Clark reached the same milestone from 91 balls at which point captain Scott Borthwick declared to leave the home with an hour’s batting before lunch. The fourth wicket partnership was worth an unbroken 132 in 28.1 overs.

Worcestershire openers Gareth Roderick and Libby began confidently but then two wickets fell in two balls in the final over before lunch. Roderick was bowled off the inside edge by Coughlin and then Worcestershire Club Captain, Brett D’Oliveira, clipped the next delivery straight to midwicket to complete a pair.

Rob Jones showed positive intent from the start and struck spinner Callum Parkinson for a huge straight six. A straight drive for four by Worcestershire’s new signing off the same bowler brought up the 100 in 20.2 overs.

He raced to 39 from 23 balls but then provided Coughlin with a third wicket when caught at backward point. Potts returned in place of Coughlin – after a spell of 6-3-14-3 – and immediately struck when Adam Hose pushed forward and was plumb lbw. The procession of wickets continued as Jason Holder (4) was bowled through the gate by Potts who then had Adam Hose lbw.

Libby completed an 87-ball fifty but the next delivery ended his determined knock. He tried to pull out of a hook shot against Raine but only succeeded in lobbing up a gentle catch to midwicket.

Worcestershire were then 135-6 but resistance came from Smith and Waite during a stand of 103 in 30 overs – a new record for the County’s seventh wicket against Durham. It surpassed the 101 by Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox at New Road five years ago.

Smith reached 50 off 87 balls before pushing forward to Raine and being bowled and, after Josh Baker was caught behind cutting at spinner Callum Parkinson, Waite went to his fifty from 110 deliveries. Waite (62) was eventually strangled down the leg side to give Coughlin a fourth scalp and Parkinson accounted for Adam Finch to wrap up proceedings.