Report: Gloucestershire day 1

By Jon Steer
April 30 2003

For once, the first match of the season at the Riverside was blessed with fine weather for the first day. In an up and down day there are good points for both sides.

Dewald Pretorius makes his Championship debut for Durham, replacing Neil Killeen, otherwise the team is the same as the one that lost to Somerset at Taunton last week.

Gloucs won the toss and elected to bat. Harmy and Srinath opened the bowling, and it was the Indian that made the breakthrough trapping New Zealaner Craig Spearman lbw for just 4 and the score on 10.

Gloucs scored slowly but steadily and as the second wicket partnership passed 50 it was looking a bad toss to have lost for Durham. It took the medium pace of Danny Law to make the next breakthrough when he had Weston caught for 40.

Enter Jonty Rhodes and again Gloucs looked rock solid as the score climbed with another good partnership. Law again proved to be the breaker with the wicket of Hancock caught behind for 59 and the score on 148.

Yet another big partnership looked to be on the cards until Pretorius in his second spell had Rhodes caught behind for 60. At 194-4 we weren't doing too badly despite some good scores from the Gloucs top order.

When Law returned to the attack again and took his third wicket, that of captain Alleyne Gloucs were 234-4 and it was the start of a good run for Durham. Six runs later Wells took the wicket of Windows and then Nicky Phillips who had been expensive for most of his spell took two quick wickets to leave Gloucs of 243-8 and Durham on top.

As he has done so many times before, Jack Russell played his part in a stand of 33 with Jon Lewis before Lewis was bowled by Harmy as he returned for a final spell.

Russell continued to frustrate Durham as Gloucs finished the day on 285-9. Assuming Durham can take the last wicket quicly in the morning they will see this as a good performance on what looks like a good batting track. Lets just hope we can get the runs as well...


Click the link below for the scorecard.