Result: Essex 2nd XI (313/6d; Nijar 82, Pepper 77; Greenwell 2/31, Whitehead 2/68) beat Durham 2nd XI (183; McBride 38; Dixon 3/21, Plom 3/39) by 130 runs
Durham’s Second XI fell to a final day defeat after a heavily rain affected three-day friendly against Essex at Chester-le-Street CC.
With the second day lost due to wet run ups, both sides declared an innings in order to make a game on the final day.
Essex extended their first innings to 313/6 before declaring adding 114 to their Day One total before rain had halted play.
Aron Nijar added 82 & Josh Rymell made an unbeaten 56, leaving Durham a stiff target of 314 at Ropery Lane.
Despite a decent opening partnership, the top order wickets fell with regularity as 47/0 dropped to 93/6.
Chris McBride made 38 & George Harding 34, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a defeat.
The two sides go head-to-head again at Brandon in a 50-over match before the Second XI Championship final at Emirates Riverside starting on Tuesday 4 September.
Close, Day One: Essex 2nd XI (209/5; Pepper 77, Patel 72; Whitehead 2/28, Greenwell 2/31)
Rain curtailed the first day of the Seconds’ three-day friendly against Essex at Chester-le-Street after 53 overs.
Ben Whitehead took two wickets & Ross Greenwell added two of his own, but Essex hit back through 77 from Michael Pepper & Rishi Patel’s 72.
In a precursor to the 2nd XI Championship final, Durham elected to bowl first at Ropery Lane & struck after three overs through Chester-le-Street bowler Stephen Cantwell.
Greenwell’s double strike left the visitors in some trouble at 30/3 before the fourth wicket partnership between Pepper & Patel.
Leg spinner Whitehead removed them both before rain brought a halt to play, with play failing to get back underway before the close.