Durham are off the mark for 2013 as they earned two vital batting bonus points on the first day of the 2013 LV= Division County Championship season against Somerset.
After being inserted by visitors’ skipper Marcus Trescothick, the home side battled through some tough conditions to reach 250 before they were bowled out.
Ben Stokes led the way with the bat for Durham scoring 49, while he was supported by efforts of 45 from Scott Borthwick and 39 from Phil Mustard.
Paul Collingwood’s side got off to a good start in muggy conditions at the Emirates Durham ICG as they reached 31 before opener Mark Stoneman was cleaned bowled for 24 by Steven Kirby.
Will Smith and Dale Benkenstein quickly followed him back to the pavilion. After surviving an early barrage Keaton Jennings played nicely for 28 but he was dismissed before lunch Alfonso Thomas.
After the break, Durham were reduced to 94-5 as skipper Collingwood lbw to Peter Trego but Stokes and Mustard steadied the ship guiding the team past the 150 mark.
Stokes looked poised to make a gutsy half-century but he was dismissed one short of the landmark as he was caught behind by Craig Kieswetter off the bowling of spinner George Dockrell, while Mustard soon followed to the same bowler leaving Durham 173-7.
Number eight, Borthwick showed defiance along with Callum Thorp as they put on a partnership of 49, helping reach the team’s first point of the season as they past the 200 run mark.
Thorp’s resistance was ended when he was bowled by Trego for 23 while Graham Onions made six before falling to Kirby, with Durham seven short of 250.
A late effort by Borthwick helped reach the second bonus point target but he finally fell to Kirby in the 94th over, when he was bowled for five runs short of his half-century.
Day two will see their Bowlers get their first LV= County Championship run out of 2013 as Durham will be looking to make early inroads into the Somerset batting line up.
Keep an eye on durhamccc.co.uk and for up to date match chat on Durham CCCs Live Match Chat.