Durham v Derbyshire day 2

Durham 293

Derbyshire 181-6 (Godleman 66, Critchley 38 not)

Derbyshire trail by 112 runs

The second day of this game began under cloudy skies, with an occasional spot of rain counter-balancing the warming effects of the shafts of sun that came through as play began.

Palladino quickly removed Potts, with one that nipped back through a gate of farmyard proportions, but it took several overs of cat and mouse before the final wicket fell. Eckersley, whose career average against Derbyshire must dwarf that against everyone else, refused a number of singles to protect Chris Rushworth, before Rampaul ended things by getting the last man caught above his head at point by Tom Lace. The innings closed for 293 and it gave Rampaul a five-wicket haul for the second successive match. The West Indian is in outstanding form and he, with Palladino, is having a special and appreciated summer.

Godleman and Reece led off the reply and there were few alarms. The skipper edged a couple into the slips, where they fell short of the waiting fielders, but both played some fine drives and the fifty came up before the interval, a landmark accomplished with commendable haste.

Derbyshire's first four-day half century opening stand of the summer continued apace after lunch, the bats of both men sounding encouragingly good. It came as a surprise, then, when, with the score on 83, Reece edged one through to Eckersley behind the stumps, the dismissal repeated a few balls later with Madsen's departure. Each time the bowler was the impressive Ben Raine, a whole-hearted cricketer for who I have a great deal of respect.

The skipper continued almost in one-day mode, bringing up his first championship half century of the summer with spanking drives. It was as if, frustrated by his four-day form so far, he had decided to bat with one-day abandon and it was lovely to watch. Indeed the side's response to strengthening winds and gathering clouds was purposeful, and Lace announced himself with wristy strokes through the off side.

Sadly, with his score on 66, Godleman assayed one expansive drive too many and dragged on, from the bowling of Harte. Lace played some pleasing shots, before surprisingly leaving one from Harte that demolished his stumps, the batsman's hunched frame over his bat telling a story.

The score was 128-4 at that stage and Hughes was joined by Hosein. Several overs of non-scoring defence followed, before Hosein assayed a loose drive, again off Harte, and was comprehensively bowled. Hughes was next, wafting airily at Rushworth to be caught at slip. 

To go from 117-2 to 128-6 was a poor effort by Derbyshire. While Harte had three wickets and had bowled in the right areas, each would have gone down as an assist from the batsman. The gathering cloud cover helped all of the bowlers, but it was disappointing to see the batting capitulate in such a manner, especially from such a recent position of dominance.

Sanity was restored by a partnership between du Plooy and Critchley. The former seemed to have an occasional limp, aggravated by a blow that required the physio to come on to the pitch and presumably the reason for his late appearance. His was largely a watchful role, while Critchley  accumulated steadily at the other end, showing sound technique as well as his trademark timing.

Rain and bad light brought an early end to proceedings, with Derbyshire 181-6.

A big first session is in store tomorrow.