Onions keeps improving
Durham v Middlesex at Chester-le-Street. 10, 11, 12, 13 May 2006
Durham 348 (JP Maher 106, P Mustard 78) and 261 (JJB Lewis 99, CEW Silverwood 5/47) Middlesex 242 (OA Shah 68) and 232 (JWM Dalrymple 71)
Durham won by 135 runs. Durham 20 points, Middlesex 4 points
Durham’s patient approach paid off with a decisive win against Middlesex, who were destined for relegation at the end of a season in which Durham clung on to their Division 1 status.
Jimmy Maher’s 106 off 207 balls, the highest score of the Australian’s two seasons at the Riverside, anchored the Durham first innings. When he was dismissed with the total 208 for six, it was a far from dominant position. Two Durham wickets had fallen to their former pace bowler, Melvyn Betts, in what turned out to be his final first-class appearance. A typical counter-attacking innings from Phil Mustard supported by Ottis Gibson and Graham Onions boosted the home team’s total. Chris Silverwood bowled impressively for his new county, having moved from Yorkshire, and took three late wickets to compensate for four dropped catches.
The Middlesex batters were more aggressive in their approach and paid the price, conceding a 106 run first innings lead. Onions, enjoying his breakthrough season, improved his best bowling figures and Callum Thorp was almost impossible to score against. In 15 overs, he took three wickets for 19 and bowled nine maidens. Thorp’s inclusion in the team came at the last minute when Stephen Harmison withdrew to be at the birth of his third daughter.
Jon Lewis who took 291 balls to make 99 exemplified Durham’s continued patience in their second innings. Silverwood was again the pick of the Middlesex bowlers, but their target of 368 always appeared daunting. It quickly seemed even further out of reach when Onions bowled both Ed Smith and Ben Hutton in his first over. Despite middle-order resistance a Durham victory never seemed in doubt, and they secured it early in the afternoon session. Onions claimed two late wickets to finish with four for 56, a further improvement to his best bowling figures at the time.