Heavy overnight rain meant no rain was possible during the morning session and with an early lunch taken and the umpires inspected at 1.00pm . Play was scheduled to start at 2.45pm but with further showers in the afternoon, play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on day two.
After play was called off we spoke to Ben Harmsion, “It’s a good opportunity for us lads and it’s a shame there wasn’t any play but we can’t do anything about the weather.
“We’ve got a few injuries so there’s opportunities there and everyone’s just raring to go.
“I felt pretty good last year as well but we’ve got that good a four-day team it’s difficult to get into it. All you can do is keep your head down and hopefully the opportunity will come, which hopefully they will.
“I feel as if I’m getting better game by game. I’m always improving. I feel if I get a chance this year I’ll take it.
“Being classed as an all-rounder you’ve got to be pretty adaptable in where you play. In our team we’ve got that many good players, you couldn’t really leave Benkenstein or Di Venuto out of the line-up so you’ve just got to bat wherever you get the chance. I’m happy to do anything.
Durham captain Will Smith won the toss at the University ground and elected to bat first. The captain, Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick were the main contributors with the bat as Durham posted a first innings total of 324.
Kyle Coetzer and Stoneman put on a first wicket of 42 before Coetzer was out lbw to Roper for 22. Will Smith, joining Stoneman at the crease, scored his second successive fifty before he was caught by Morgan off Gale for 57, leaving Durham 169-2.
Stoneman, fresh from his record 282 score for the 2XI last week, scored his century off 128 balls but was eventually bowled by Tom Westley for 118.
Westley also picked up the fifth and sixth wicket, both Muchall and Breese caught by Morgan for 12 and 14 respectively, with Durham 248-5.
Ben Harmison added 21 before he was trapped lbw by Gale. Durham were 298-8 after Michael Richardson was run out for 2 and Mark Davies was caught behind by Jamie Atkinson without scoring.
Stephen Harmison, who was caught by Seren Waters, giving Dan Gale his fourth wicket of the match, contributed seven runs, taking the side to 314-9.
Scott Borthwick was the last wicket to fall when he was caught by Harper off Westley just four runs short of his fifty but having recorded his best first class score.
Durham CCC set a first innings total of 324 with just over an hour of play remaining in the day.
Seren Waters and Luc Durandt opened the batting for Durham UCCE with Stephen Harmison, making his first appearance for Durham since he was injured during the pre season tour, bowling the opening over.
Mark Davies left the field twenty minutes before the allocated close of play and was replaced by 12th man, Mitchell Claydon.
At the close of play Durham UCCE were 46 without loss.