Durham v Derbyshire day 3

Durham 377

Derbyshire 118 and 237 (Came 105*, Potts 42, Potts 8-66)

Durham won by an innings and 22 runs

As everyone expected, Derbyshire lost to Durham today, by an innings and 22 runs. Yet in the process they found some self-respect, which in itself was frustrating. 

Had similar application been shown in the first innings as Harry Came and Nick Potts displayed today, the result might not have been as clear-cut as it eventually was. 

When the time eventually comes for Harry Came to put away his bat for the final time, this will be the innings for which I will remember him. We all know that he has the strokes and sometimes his willingness to play them gets him into trouble. Today, despite thirteen boundaries, he eschewed risk and played almost a lone hand against a keen home attack. A broad, straight bat that could scarce have been more resilient had he had a 'no entry' sign on the front of it. His feet moved well, his concentration never wavered and it was the sort of knock I once enjoyed by the likes of Alan Hill, Ian Hall, Steve Stubbings and a few more. 

Every team STILL, even in this era of Baz ball, needs such a player, one who sells his wicket dearly. The pitch was never easy and the occasional ball still kept horribly low, as Brooke Guest found second ball. But Harry came well forward or went right back, played it late and delivered a truly outstanding innings. Six and a half hours of resistance and he carried his bat. Magnificent.

Nick Potts lent staunch support as the two got through the morning session unscathed. He is proving himself a good cricketer and it just shows what a good coach and people having confidence in you can do. 

After Callum Parkinson got him out with one that turned, the end wasn't long in coming. Andersson resisted for a while, but an uppish cover drive in the direction of the tallest man on the pitch wasn't a recipe for success. Guest got that low one, Aitchison decided that he was going to go down flailing and expectancy of runs from Bashir and Abbas will usually result in disappointment.

So the end came, just before tea. Matthew Potts returned the outstanding figures of 8-66 and bowled really well with the two new balls. Ben Raine is always a challenge but it Derbyshire had handled their first innings better, this could have been a more competitive game of cricket 

Chesterfield next and the visit of the 'other' Roses county on Friday. 

I will be talking about that between times, around getting my bag packed for the journey down there..