Durham and Middlesex have played out an entertaining final session draw on day four of their clash at Emirates Durham ICG.
In a vast comparison to yesterday the players were greeted by the warmth of spring sunshine and minimal cloud on the deciding day at Emirates Durham ICG.
With a lead of 152, Durham were looking to add quickly to their tally to allow maximum overs to try bowl Middlesex out.
Keaton Jennings was the early wicket to fall, going in the first hour for 35 after being caught in the slips for 35.
Will Smith then came to the crease and he and Scott Borthwick put on a 50 run partnership before being dismissed for 17 with Ben Stokes falling shortly after, gone lbw after a good delivery from Roland-Jones.
Borthwick continued to keep the lead ticking over and posted his half century just before lunch with him (55*) and skipper Paul Collingwood (14*) giving Durham a lead of 240 at the break.
Collingwood and Borthwick continued after lunch until the Captain wad dismissed trying to loft one over the slips for 18. Phil Mustard’s stay at the crease unfortunately didn’t last too long either with the wicket-keeper adding just the 3 runs before also finding himself back to the pavilion after looking to drive down the ground.
Borthwick continued to add to the total and combined with Gareth Breese who produced some quality shots with the pair putting on 40 before the declaration came.
Borthwick finished unbeaten on 82 after a fine innings and Breese 20 not out to leave Durham 240-6 declared.
The declaration meant Middlesex had 51 overs to chase down 304 runs.
Their run chase was haltered early when Calum Thorp got Robson lbw with a superb delivery in just the second over.
The visitors then steadied through Rogers and Denly and it looked as though a draw was on the cards until Rogers was dismissed for 52 after Mark Wood got him lbw.
Wood then followed up with the wicket of Malan with a superb delivery which cleaned up his stumps to leave Middlesex 106-3. This wicket got Durham rolling with some momentum and it was then the first innings destroyer Graham Onions who sparked thoughts that Durham could pull off victory.
Onions first dismissed Dexter who edged the ball through to keeper Phil Mustard and followed it up with the wicket of Simpson after Scott Borthwick took a nice catch in the slips leaving Middlesex 129-5 with an hour to play.
Middlesex then steadied but it was then Wood who took his third after Keaton Jennings took a superb catch to dismiss Berg leaving them 158-6 into the final hour of play.
With the crowd willing each ball to be a wicket the final half hour was tense for the Middlesex batsmen as they tried to play out the draw. Despite the best efforts of Wood and Onions the visitors hung on and finished 165-6 with Denly 73 no with players shaking hands in the 51st over.
Captain Paul Collingwood said he was really proud of the team to nearly force the win despite rain playing a major influence in the match.
“The amount of overs we lost in that game really put us behind the eightball but we pretty much dominated and it was a moral boosting draw, we are setting good standards” Collingwood said.
“It is always tempting to declare earlier but we don’t want to gift teams on flat wickets, especially after being on top most of the game”.