Last wicket pair help secure draw against Durham
24 April 2017
A resolute century from Chris Dent and a stubborn last wicket stand between David Payne and Chris Liddle delayed and ultimately denied Durham a victory on the final day of a hard fought Championship fixture at the Brightside Ground.
Dent batted for nearly six hours before he was one of a clatter of wickets to fall in quick succession as Gloucestershire went from 253-4 to 255-8 in the space of 17 deliveries. It was left to Payne (36*) and Liddle (23) to frustrate Durham for an hour, as well as adding 45 runs to their fourth innings target.
When Graham Onions finally bowled Liddle it left Durham to score 205 in 31 overs, and after slumping to 15-3, their chase was called off with eight overs remaining at 85-4.
Listen to David Payne's post match thoughts here:
With a relatively slender lead of 59 at the start of play, Gloucestershire's tactics were relatively predictable - bat carefully until lunch and then assess the position, and certainly the overnight pair Dent and Hankins set out with that intention. Hankins had made 20 when Cook took a sprawling catch off Carse, and well over an hour had passed before the Gloucestershire lead passed the 100 mark.
Durham were still bowling with an old ball at this stage but a new one was due shortly before lunch and an apparent tipping point in the day came in Rushworth's first over with it, as Chris Dent was dropped by Richardson at second slip on 95.
David Payne & Chris Liddle forming a fantastic last wicket Partnership!
Check out this 6⃣ from @sidpayne7 pic.twitter.com/fTgKvFnAsV— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) April 24, 2017
The left hander had crept towards his century in the morning session, but with his moment of good fortune behind him, a steer to third man off Onions saw him to three figures off 241 balls with 11 fours. The overall position, however, remained delicate with the lead only 136 at lunch, and it appeared to become critical when Onions and Rushworth wreaked havoc soon afterwards.
Durham's new ball pair took four wickets for two runs in 17 balls, Onions striking the first blow by trapping former team mate Mustard lbw for 15. Dent's stern resistance was ended by Rushworth, Collingwood's safe hands snapping up an edge when he'd made 101 and Onions also found an edge to remove Miles, this time Richardson clinging on to the catch.
When Taylor was adjudged lbw to Rushworth both the clock and the victory target favoured the visitors, and Norwell's departure to a catch at the wicket off Carse came with 50 overs still available.
The run chase equation was to change, however, thanks to Gloucestershire's last wicket pair of Payne and Liddle, who in their different ways frustrated Durham for an hour either side of tea as well adding 45 valuable runs. Payne even struck a straight six off leg spinner Steel before the impressive Onions returned to bowl Liddle for 23. Payne's 36 not out means his Championship average for the season stands at 72.00, and it left Durham with a teasing target of 205 to win in 31 overs. It wasn't teasing for very long.
Having looked comfortable with the bat, Payne sent back Stephen Cook for nought with his second delivery as he was adjudged lbw. Graham Clark had made only seven when he pulled Liam Norwell to Hankins at deep square leg, and after two unsuccessful lbw shouts against Collingwood, Payne got umpire Jeremy Lloyds' decision with his third appeal and Durham were 15-3.
Fleetingly Jennings and Richardson threatened to rally, working the ball into the gaps rather than finding the boundary, especially off the spin of van Buuren. There were, however, no fielding restrictions to worry about so when Richardson started to take the aerial route against van Buuren the field dropped out and a miscue gave Jack Taylor an easy catch at mid off.
Any hope of a win for either side diminished quickly after that, and with eight overs remaining the teams shook hands with Durham 85-4, less than half way to their target.
Gloucestershire take 9 points from the match, but more importantly the knowledge that they had competed with a team who were in Division 1 last season and scored 300 in both innings with the bat against one of the best seam attacks in the country.
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