Durham complete double over Yorkshire
Durham v Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street. 15, 16, 17, 18 July 2003
Yorkshire 448 (A McGrath 86, C White 135*, AKD Gray 60) and 129 Durham 327 (MA Gough 54, GJ Pratt 51, GD Bridge 50) and 251-7
Durham won by three wickets
Durham 20 points, Yorkshire 8 points
A few weeks after completing their first win against Yorkshire in 11 attempts, Durham succeeded for the first time in achieving a County Championship double. That this second victory was achieved with a completely different bowling attack made it even more remarkable. On this occasion, Durham’s opening attack offered hostility at both ends from Stephen Harmison and Shoaib Akhtar. Nobody took more pleasure from the success than Durham head coach and former Yorkshire player, Martyn Moxon.
Yorkshire enjoyed the better of the first day, finishing on 340 for six. Their captain, Anthony McGrath maintained the good form that saw him appear in the first four Test matches of the summer. On the second morning, Andy Gray was dismissed without adding to his overnight score and the remainder of the innings was blown away by the pace of Shoaib. His fiery 11 over burst included a clash with Yorkshire fast bowler, Steve Kirby. Kirby responded to an accidental beamer by throwing his helmet to the ground and storming down the pitch to remonstrate with Shoaib. Craig White stayed calm at the other end to complete an unbeaten century.
Although three Durham batters past fifty nobody went on to a big score so a first innings deficit of 121 was conceded. Most entertainment on a tense day, as Durham battled to avoid the follow-on, came from Gary Pratt’s 50 off 46 balls.
The match turned on the third day. Intermittent rain delayed play until after tea. In the 29 overs that were then possible, in gloomy conditions, Yorkshire lost six wickets for just 103. Shoaib took three wickets in 11 balls. Durham took the four remaining wickets quickly on the final morning so required 251 to win.
When they were 97 for one it looked like it would be straightforward for Durham but through the afternoon batters kept getting in and then getting out. Jon Lewis top scored with 41. Youth and experience combined when Phil Mustard and Vince Wells added 57 for the sixth wicket only for Mustard to be run out backing up at the bowler’s end. With 19 still needed, anxiety increased before Shoaib came in to finish the chase off with 14 off 11 balls.