Durham promotion looking difficult

By Jon Steer
August 12 2004

With injuries again causing problems Durham push for promotion took a blow in a six wicket defeat to Somerset. Both sides found batting difficult but Ricky Ponting showed how its done with an unbeaten 83.

After a match winning performance against Worcestershire at the weekend everyone was looking forward to seeing Paul Collingwood deliver against strugglers Somerset. But it wasn't to be, Colly had agravated a knee injury in the win and was ordered to rest in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy which starts next month. It looks increasingly likely that Colly's performance against Worcestershire will be his last of the season for Durham.

Gavin Hamilton stepped into Collingwood's place and was the only Durham player to make a decent contribution with the bat - his 66 not out rescued us from 52 for 5 to a almost acceptable 162-9 from 45 overs.

Surprisingly rain had not played any part in the match despite almost two days solid rain on Monday and Tuesday. That changed after six overs of the Somerset innings when a heavy shower forced the players off. When they returned the revised target of 146 in 37 overs.

Ricky Ponting hardly looked troubled as he secured victory for Somerset with five overs to spare.

Durham remain in second place in the league but Worcestershire, Leicestershire and Yorksire are queueing up to take their place with two or in the case of Worcs three games in hand. We will have to sit and watch the results come in as the Dynamos now have over two weeks before the next league match.