Durham saved by lost day against Gloucestershire

By Jon Steer
May 3 2003

With rain completely washing out the third days play, the final day started bright and sunny but Durham's first innings was soon over and despite a stand of 37 between Phillips and Pretorius we still had to follow on.

The second innings started well and for once the batting looked to be holding together. Michael Gough made his first serious runs of the season as he scored 73 in an opening stand of 118 with Jon Lewis.

But yet again it was the captain who had to hold the innings together as the wickets began to fall. When Gough was dismissed by Smith, Gary Pratt lasted just four deliveries before falling in the same way and then after batting for fifteen minutes for his single run Vince Wells also fell to Smith.

Nicky Peng put up some resistance but only managed ten runs before falling to Sillence. The wickets continued to fall when Danny Law was out for just two runs, bowled by the captain's namesake Lewis.

By this time Durham's Jon Lewis had passed fifty for the fourth time in four innings but Durham were still trailing.

Lewis didn't last much longer and fell for 55. Andy Pratt and Javaghal Srinath managed to push the score to 159-6 just one run ahead of Gloucestershires total before rain brought an early end to the day's play and the match ended as a draw.

Without the washed out day yesterday, it would almost certainly have been Gloucestershire's match and the double failure to score enough runs would be to blame.

Hopefully the weather will improve for tomorroes NCL match when Scotland begin their campaign in front of a sell out crowd at the riverside.