Benkenstein and Mustard rescue Durham

By Jon Steer
June 16 2005

After a nightmare start which saw Durham fall to 29-3, Benkentein, Breese and Mustard all put in good contributions to get Durham back into the match. Ashley Noffke also passed 50 before Durham were dismissed for 334.

Durham kept the same eleven that beat Essex by an innings last week. Liam Plunkett had been added to the squad and was expected to make his return from a heel injury but didn't make the starting team.

After most of the first day was lost to rain, Dale Benkenstein won the toss and elected to bat with play finally starting at 3.30pm. Durham were immediately in trouble as Lewis, Peng and then Muchall fell one after the other as the total slipped to 29/3.

Nathan Astle looked to more in control and was starting to build a decent partnership with Benkenstein before he became Wright's third victim with the score at 73/4. Breese joined Benkenstein at the wicket and the pair stayed together until the close which Durham reached at 113/4.

The pair looked in good form this morning with both of them reaching their half centuries. With the stand worth 110 vital runs, Breese fell for 55 and then two runs later Benkenstein fell for 80 as Durham wobbled again at 185/6.

Phil Mustard and Ashley Noffke took up the running with Mustard in particular making batting look easy as he raced to his own half century. Having already bettered his championship best three times this season, Mustard pushed it to 80 before he fell to Wright after a partnership of 135 and the score on 320/7.

Noffke and the tail enders anded a further 14 runs with Noffke reaching 65 before being bowled by Brown. Durham finishing on 334 all out. A total which looked highly unlikely at 29-3 yesterday afternoon.