Centuries from Emilo Gay and Will Rhodes helped Durham pick up five crucial batting bonus points as they drew their Rothesay County Championship clash with Worcestershire.
In the morning the Pears picked up a couple of Durham scalps to halt their quest for batting bonus points, but Gay and David Bedingham (58) combined for a partnership worth 122 to help Durham’s cause.
Gay then reached three figures, while Rhodes scored his maiden First Class hundred for Durham to get them to 450 for six, securing the maximum number of batting points available ahead of a potential relegation decider against Yorkshire next week.
Worcestershire declared overnight on 591 for nine, leaving Durham with the task of getting batting bonus points to boost their chances of staying in Division One.
Opener Alex Lees carved a Tom Taylor delivery through the covers to the boundary, but Taylor got Lees next ball as he was caught behind for eight.
The Pears were testing Durham in the early stages, but Gay relieved the pressure as he produced a great straight drive off Taylor which went for four.
Durham’s pursuit stalled as Ben McKinney then departed for 16 at the hands of Matthew Waite as he edged one to Ben Gibbon at slip.
That brought David Bedingham to the crease and the batter managed to find the boundary with ease in the early stages of his innings.
Pears skipper Brett D’Oliveira came into the attack, but on his follow through he went over on his right ankle, which prompted concerns from the dressing room given they have the Metro Bank One Day Cup final on Saturday.
Gay continued to tick along nicely and got his fifty from 71 balls, while taking his side to 100 before lunch.
Bedingham continued to attack the bowlers after the lunch interval as he clipped one on the onside for four and he played another excellent shot, this time carving a Taylor delivery through the covers for four.
Gay was almost heading back to the pavilion on 72, as he edged an Allison delivery but Gibbon couldn’t cling on to it with an outstretched hand.
Bedingham then brought up his second fifty of the season from 79 balls and smashed a six off the bowling of Waite next ball. However, he went for one hit too many as Waite got him for 58 after he didn’t get enough on a pull shot, which Allison caught on the boundary.
Gay continued to motor, now alongside Will Rhodes, and he picked up his fourth century of the season from 127 balls.
The opener continued to play fluently after reaching the milestone, picking up three boundaries in a Brookes over, and Durham reached their first batting point in the 53rd over.
Gay passed the milestone of 150 for the third time this campaign after tea and Rhodes, who has struggled for First Class runs this season, played nicely and found the boundary with a tidy glance off the legs from a Gibbon ball.
Rhodes then reached fifty for the first time in Durham whites from 72 deliveries and he picked up another boundary straight after. Gay then went for an excellent 161, his highest Durham score, as he chopped a Gibbon delivery onto his leg stump.
Rhodes continued Durham’s swashbuckling approach as he heaved a Dan Lategan to the boundary, but Ollie Robinson fell soon after for four as he was bowled by the part-time off spin of Jake Libby.
Rhodes continued his charge as he smashed Lategan for a six down the ground and then reached three figures for the first time this season, coming from 121 balls.
Graham Clark produced a quick 29 to speed things up, but Libby got his second of the day as he got the Durham man caught and bowled.
Rhodes then got his 150 and guided his side to 450, the magic number for five batting points, and the two sides shook hands just after 5pm.
Centuries from Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes frustrate Durham despite Worcestershire’s relegation was confirmed on day three of their Rothesay County Championship clash.
Worcestershire, whose fate was sealed after failing to pick up a third batting point, continued to frustrate a Durham side desperately seeking points to avoid the same fate.
Roderick picked up his 12th First Class century on a docile pitch after the morning session was washed out and despite a first Durham wicket for Afghan leg spinner Shafiquallah Ghafari, they continued to pile on the runs throughout the day.
Brookes joined Roderick in the middle and he picked up his fifty, while Roderick passed 150, but a double-wicket burst from Sam Conners halted the Pears’ momentum.
However, Brookes continued the onslaught and notched up three figures as the Pears finished on 591 for nine at close.
Rain meant that play didn’t start until 13.20 with 70 overs in the day and Roderick, unbeaten on 95, and nightwatcher Ben Gibbon resumed Worcestershire’s innings.
Gibbon continued his good work from last night as he frustrated the Durham bowlers and Roderick finally got his first century of the season, coming off 180 deliveries.
Gibbon continued to play his strokes, picking up a boundary on the offside off the bowling of Ghafari.
Conners almost got the breakthrough as Gibbon edged one on 28, but Emilio Gay couldn’t cling on to it at second slip.
Ghafari became the first ever Afghan to take a wicket for Durham as he got Gibbon LBW for 33, but it was too late for a second Durham bowling point.
The Pears duo of Roderick and Brookes then guided their side to 400, however Raine nearly had Brookes caught behind, but Ollie Robinson couldn’t cling on to a diving catch.
The solid Roderick continued to frustrate the home side as he played a lovely dab off Will Rhodes to third region for four just before tea.
Roderick resumed after tea as he slammed a Matthew Potts delivery through the covers for four, while Brookes produced a carbon copy in the same over.
The Pears keeper continued his vigil in the middle by punishing a Rhodes delivery, but Roderick offered a rare opportunity as Rhodes couldn’t cling on to a caught and bowled opportunity. Milestones then followed for the visitors as Brookes passed fifty from 86 balls, while Roderick picked up his 150 from 276 balls.
Brookes was dropped a second time, as he edged a Ghafari ball on 57, but Robinson failed to cling on to the catch, and Brookes made him pay as he picked up the first six of the game with a hit down the ground.
Roderick finally fell for 151, as Conners got him LBW, his second of the match and he followed that up with the wicket of Matthew Waite for a three-ball duck.
Brookes continued to pick up runs as he played a wonderful sweep shot for four off the bowling of Ghafari and he took his side to 500 later in the over.
Tom Taylor got another life as he miscued one when he was on 15, but Gay failed to cling on to it.
Brookes then picked up his second ton of the campaign from 130 balls and Taylor absolutely smashed one down the ground for four one ball later.
Brookes departed for 100 as he was bowled by Potts after going for a big shot, but he completely missed it, however his team mate Taylor got to fifty from 54 balls.
Final pair Ben Allison and Taylor took Worcestershire to close and will resume unbeaten on 10 and 64 respectively in the morning.
Sam Conners strikes late on day two but half-centuries from Rehaan Edavalath, Brett D’Oliveira and Gareth Roderick helped Division Two bound Worcestershire frustrate Durham on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash.
Durham struck twice in the morning session to leave the visitors 49 for two, but 21-year-old Edavalath and 19-year-old Dan Lategan combined for a partnership worth 84 to steer their side out of a spot of trouble.
Durham bounced back with a double-wicket burst, removing the pair in the afternoon, but Roderick and D’Oliveira frustrated Durham, picking up their own half-centuries in a partnership worth 170, the highest fifth wicket partnership for their side in the fixture, to take the Pears to 320 for five at close.
After a washout on day one, Durham won the toss and elected to bowl first in their crucial clash with the Pears.
Jake Libby got off the mark early on with a tidy shot through the covers from the bowling of Ben Raine. The Worcestershire opening pair of Libby and Edavalath managed to negate some probing bowling from Raine and Matthew Potts without taking many risks during the first half hour.
Raine was rewarded for the pressure he built up as Libby was caught behind for 14, after he chased one down the legside. A second soon followed as Kashif Ali edged a Potts delivery straight into the hands of David Bedingham at third slip for 10.
Lategan then came to the crease and showed the first signs of aggression from the Pears batting line-up as he picked up three boundaries from a Potts over.
Edavalath remained solid after seeing off the new ball and Lategan continued to attack as the youthful pair took their side to 100 before lunch.
Edavalath calmly accumulated his way to his maiden First Class fifty just after lunch, reaching it from 96 deliveries.
The opener played a glorious straight drive off the bowling of Durham’s Afghan debutant Shafiquallah Ghafari for four to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Lategan followed that up as he cut a Raine ball to the boundary, but Raine struck back as he got him LBW for a well-made 44.
Pears skipper D’Oliveira was almost following the youngster back to the pavilion as he edged a Raine delivery to Emilio Gay at second slip but he couldn’t cling on.
Just a couple of balls later, chaos ensued in the middle as when going for a quick single, Edavalath was sent back by his skipper and he was run out by Graham Clark for 61. However, D’Oliveira played a beautiful shot through the offside off the bowling of Potts to break the shackles.
Roderick and D’Oliveira soaked up the pressure and they continued to accumulate runs, with the Pears captain finding the boundary after Sam Conners offered a bit of width. Roderick then joined in to whip a Ghafari ball off his legs to the boundary.
The pair resumed after tea, with Roderick playing a delicate shot through the onside for four to kick things off after the tea break and he passed fifty off 88 balls soon after. D’Oliveira then reached his milestone from 114 balls as he got his side to a first batting point.
Durham took the new ball on the 80-over mark and there was a little bit on offer for Raine, but Roderick and D’Oliveira continued to look unflustered.
D’Oliveira played a beautiful shot through the offside for four, while Roderick continued to attack as he whipped a Will Rhodes ball through the legside for four.
There was a late twist as Conners sent D’Oliveira’s off-stump flying for an excellent 84, but it was Worcestershire’s day as they got to 320 for five at close.
Durham and Worcestershire’s battle in the Rothesay County Championship fell victim to the rain as no play was possible on day one at Banks Homes Riverside.
This will no doubt frustrate both sides, as the two are in desperate need of a Division One victory.
Worcestershire are bottom of the table, 44 points adrift of safety, while Durham are second bottom, six points below Hampshire.
Both sides will return tomorrow morning hoping that play will start on time and that their pursuit of a vital victory isn’t halted further.