Team effort seals third-place finish
Durham v Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street. 12, 13, 14, 15 September 2011
Durham 264 (WR Smith 66) and 388 (MJ Di Venuto 55, MD Stoneman 75, DM Benkenstein 63, ID Blackwell 59) Worcestershire 288 (VS Solanki 124, JG Cameron 74) and 213
Durham won by 151 runs
Durham 21 points, Worcestershire 5 points
After ten matches, Durham had been at the top of the table eyeing a third Championship title. Three defeats and a draw in the next four fixtures meant that their chances of another trophy were slim at the start of this final match of the season.
As gale-force winds battered the ground, with such force that the umpires even had to remove the heavy bails at one point, it was unclear whether batting or bowling was more difficult.
Will Smith battled away against the probing attack led by the experienced Alan Richardson and young tyro, Kemar Roach. Richardson bowled over 50 overs in the match, and his six wickets took him to 73 for the season, the leading bowler in the division.
Worcestershire were in an excellent position at 255 for 3 thanks to a century by the stylish Vikram Solanki. The second new ball led to a dramatic collapse as Callum Thorp claimed four wickets for two runs in just 14 balls and Durham batted again with a deficit of only 24.
Batting was easier in the second innings and with the top six all passing 23, Durham were able to set a target of 365 before the end of the third day.
Worcestershire lost two wickets before the close but James Cameron and Moeen Ali started the final day positively. They reached 128 for two but then subsided quickly. Spinners, Ian Blackwell and Scott Borthwick, both took three wickets.
Durham finished third behind Warwickshire and champions, Lancashire, which was frustrating as they had beaten them both home and away. Worcestershire managed to avoid relegation despite suffering 11 defeats in the season.