Earlier in the day Essex were bowled out for 301 in their second innings as Ben Raine wrapped up the Essex tail to notch figures of five for 64, leaving Durham with a chase of 385 to win the contest.
Alex Lees offered initial resistance for the hosts, but the quality of the Jamie Porter, Peter Siddle and Sam Cook trifecta wore down the Durham order and allowed their side to notch their third win of the campaign.
Resuming on 263 for eight, Raine claimed the final two Essex wickets, earning his 300th first-class scalp in the process. However, Simon Harmer ended unbeaten on 47 after guiding his team to 301, presenting Durham with a daunting chase.
Porter made inroads bowling Cameron Bancroft for only four with a delivery that kept low. Scott Borthwick and Lees held firm until lunch, taking Durham to the interval at 47 for one.
However, Cook struck in his first over after the restart, pinning Borthwick lbw for 29 with another ball that struck a Durham batsman at shin height. Lees resisted the visitors and looked in great touch, especially against Harmer’s off-spin.The opener dispatched Harmer a massive six over long-on to try to turn momentum away from the visitors.
Lees and Michael Jones recorded a stand of fifty for the third wicket, but it was soon broken as the Yorkshireman fended a short ball from Ryan ten Doeschate straight into the air allowing Nick Browne to take a routine catch at mid-off.
Jones dug in alongside David Bedingham to thwart the Essex attack in the afternoon session. It took Cook’s return from the Lumley End to break the stand to remove Jones for 35 with the 18th lbw dismissal of the match albeit a tight call on leg stump.
The English record 19th lbw decision in the match came when Siddle trapped Burnham for five after replacing Cook. Essex closed in on the victory as Ned Eckersley, Brydon Carse, Bedingham and Raine fell in quick succession as Porter and Siddle tormented the lower order.
Matty Potts offered late resistance, striking Porter over the rope for a six, but he was bowled the following delivery, condemning Durham to a heavy defeat on home soil.
Day 3 reaction: James Franklin
Day 2 – Durham 99 v Essex 182 & 263/8
A century stand between Adam Wheater and Ryan ten Doeschate manoeuvred Essex into control in their LV= Insurance County Championship clash against Durham at Emirates Riverside.
The visitors dismissed the home side for 99, handing them an 83-run lead to take into their second innings. Durham did make early inroads, reducing Tom Westley’s men to 53 for five. However, Wheater and Ten Doeschate combined to take the game away from the hosts with a partnership of 125, building a substantial advantage worth 346 runs in their bid to claim their third win of the campaign.
Durham resumed on 58 for six in the morning session, and it did not take long for Essex to claim the remaining four wickets. Sam Cook pinned Ned Eckersley with an inswinger, while Peter Siddle was on point to remove Brydon Carse’s off-stump. Jamie Porter then prised out Potts and Chris Rushworth in successive deliveries to end the innings.
With a lead of 83 runs, Essex had the opportunity to build a match-winning platform. Raine and Rushworth combined to dismantle the visitors’ top order as the latter removed Alastair Cook with a fine delivery. Raine bowled a tight line and was rewarded with the wickets of Nick Browne and Tom Westley before lunch.
After the interval Paul Walter led a counter attack in a signal of intent from the visitors. Raine returned from the Finchale End to halt Walter’s surge as he edged behind to Eckersley. Carse then produced a rising delivery to dismiss Michael Pepper, leaving the visitors 53 for five. With the game in the balance, Ten Doeschate and Wheater came to the fore for their side, displaying controlled aggression to swing momentum back in the favour of the visitors.
The two players frustrated Durham throughout the afternoon and reached their century partnership from 133 balls. Ten Doeschate was the first to pass fifty, earning his third half-century of the term. Wheater followed his team-mate to the milestone, nudging a quick single into the leg-side. The stand was broken by Carse after tea as he trapped Ten Doeschate on the crease for 55.
Wheater made his way towards a century, and was seemingly well poised having blunted the home side’s bowling attack. However, he was run out 19 short of his first ton of the season courtesy of a direct hit by Potts at the bowler’s end. Simon Harmer and Sam Cook were unbeaten at the close with their side 263 for eight.
Day 2 reaction: Scott Borthwick
LV= Insurance County Championship Day One Durham 58-6 (Cameron Bancroft 20, Sam Cook 3-20 vs Essex 182 (Michael Pepper 92, Chris Rushworth 4-32)
Crowds returned to Emirates Riverside for the first time in 611 days and were entertained with 15 wickets falling on day one of Durham’s LV= Insurance County Championship game against Essex.
The Essex innings had looked in a strong place following Michael Pepper’s maiden first class fifty but a collapse saw them lose six wickets for just three runs appeared to give Durham the upper hand.
But Essex came back strongly as their bowling trio of Peter Siddle, Sam Cook and Jamie Porter picked up five wickets between them to leave Durham struggling on 58 for six trailing by 124 runs at the close of play.
Scott Borthwick won the toss for Durham and chose to send Essex into bat oand was rewarded as Chris Rushworth struck to remove Alastair Cook for just two runs.
Nick Browne soon followed Cook back to the pavilion as he was bowled for 23 looking to drive Matthew Potts down the ground.
Tom Westley was the next man to go, the Essex skipper perhaps harshly given lbw off the bowling of Ben Raine for a twenty ball duck.
The Essex innings was steadied however by Pepper and Paul Walter, the pair added fifty together to take Essex to lunch.
After the break Walter was bowled by Raine for 28, the Durham bowler nipping one back through the gate.
Ryan ten Doeschate only made eight before he was sent on his way, lbw to Borthwick attempting to paddle the ball round the corner.
Pepper was removed when Rushworth re-entered the attack and pinned him leg before wicket on 92, just short of a maiden hundred.
The wickets then fell quickly, Raine claimed the wicket of Harmer for 1 before Rushworth had Adam Wheater caught by Ned Eckersley for eight.
Durham’s leading wicket taker then claimed another victim as he removed Sam Cook for a duck. Raine wrapped up the Essex innings, splitting Peter Siddle’s stumps for one. The visitors all out for 182 at tea.
Durham’s innings got off to a stuttering start as Jamie Porter claimed the wicket of Alex Lees for a duck, followed by Borthwick, stuck leg before by Cook for eight.
Peter Siddle trapped fellow Australian Cameron Bancroft lbw for 20 and Michael Jones could only add four before he left a straight ball from Cook. It went from bad to worse for Durham as Jack Burnham fell victim to Siddle for two. David Bedingham fell on the final ball of the day, bowled by Cook for 10.
Day 1 reaction: Ben Raine