Durham beat Division One leaders
September 04, 2010 13:04:52 UK
Leaders Nottinghamshire crashed to a 210-run defeat against Durham on Friday, but still top the County Championship Division One table with two games left.
Nottinghamshire took six points from the match at Chester-le-Street to lead Somerset by 22 points. Yorkshire, who go to Trent Bridge next week, are a further three points adrift.
After being set a victory target of 391 in 78 overs, on a pitch on which Durham added 82 in just over an hour in the morning, the visitors' attempts to bat out the day were undermined by Ben Harmison taking three wickets in four balls.
With Mark Davies taking no further part after developing a sciatic nerve problem on the second day, Durham also lost Liam Plunkett, who limped off after bowling two overs with the new ball.
Harmison was on for the fifth over of the innings and conceded 24 in four overs before lunch, but with the score on 51 for one he suddenly got it right in his seventh over.
Alex Hales pushed forward and edged to Michael Di Venuto at second slip before Australian Adam Voges also pushed forward, edging it to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.
The hat-trick ball was short and wide, allowing Samit Patel to collect two easy runs, but the next delivery pinned him lbw on the back foot.
A stand of 30 between Mark Wagh and Ali Brown was broken by Ian Blackwell, who had both lbw and later had Luke Fletcher caught at silly mid-off to finish with three for 23 in 19 overs.
Harmison had four for 70, his final victim being Chris Read, who drove wide of off stump and edged low to third slip, where substitute Gareth Breese held a good catch.
Notts are 1.80 to overcome the defeat and beat Yorkshire in their next match, which starts on Tuesday. Yorkshire can be backed at 2.00.
Durham face Essex in Chelmsford on the same day, with the home side available at 2.37 and Durham 1.57.
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