Final Report

Durham: 311-4 (89.0 overs), MCC: 126-7 (47.0 overs)
The remaining two days of the match were disrupted by rain.

Day Two: 4.15pm

Yes, the cricket season has well and truly arrived and the rain which reached Lord's at 12.25 today refused to relent. The second day's play in the MCC v Champions was abandoned at 4.15 with Durham on 311 for four. There was just time in the morning for Ian Blackwell to complete a century on his debut following his move from Somerset.

Day Two: Morning Session

Ian Blackwell has done it! Durham’s new signing from Somerset completed a debut century for the county inbetween the showers at Lord’s this morning.

There was an element of beginner’s luck and it’s to be hoped he hasn’t used it all up before the competitive cricket begins. Two of the fours he hit on the way from his overnight 63 to 102 not out flew through the slips and on 98 he aimed a huge drive at Kabir Ali and missed. Blackwell then pushed a ball from Tim Bresnan in front of square on the off side for two to reach his century off only 102 balls.

His Somerset career ran into trouble much as his England one did, because he was perceived as being a bit podgy. But he says he has worked very hard on his fitness since signing for Durham and has shed 10kg.

Skipper Will Smith provided solid support and moved on from 43 to 69 before the rain, which delayed the start by ten minutes, returned after 75 minutes’ play with Durham on 311 for four.

Day One: Evening Session

After morning murk turned to evening sunshine Durham’s new signing from Somerset, Ian Blackwell, lit up Lord’s with a swashbuckling half-century today.

Coming in after they had slipped from 104 without loss to 141 for four, the powerful left-hander hit ten fours in reaching 50 off 44 balls. He raced passed Will Smith, but the new captain showed his battling qualities after surviving a few scares in struggling for 25 balls to get off the mark.

After 24 overs were lost to the weather in the morning, the men out were Michael Di Venuto for 53, Mark Stoneman for 49, Gordon Muchall for five and Dale Benkenstein for 12. Smith remained unbeaten on 43 and Blackwell was on 63 when Durham closed on 244 for four.

Day One: Afternoon Session

Openers Michael Di Venuto and Mark Stoneman put on 104 after Durham were asked to bat in the annual MCC v Champions match at Lord’s today.

Both were then removed by Yorkshire’s Tim Bresnan as Durham reached 113 for two at tea.

On a murky morning there were two interruptions for drizzle and poor light, but after 24 overs had been lost conditions brightened slightly in the afternoon. DiVenuto cut Bresnan for his eighth four to complete a 67-ball half-century, but fell for 53 when he edged to second slip. Four overs later Stoneman departed for 49, beaten by a beauty from Bresnan which trimmed his off bail.

New skipper Will Smith had a couple of close shaves as he survived a testing spell from Kabir Ali, but at tea both he and Gordon Muchall had still to get off the mark.

Day One: Morning Session

Durham were put in to bat in murky conditions when the MCC v Champions match got underway at 11am today, but the morning session was twice interrupted by drizzle and bad light.

Durham reached 58 without loss, with Michael Di Venuto on 33. His 21-year-old partner, Mark Stoneman, was dropped on 20 by Ian Bell at second slip off the bowling of Yorkshire’s Tim Bresnan and had not added to his total when the rain returned and an early lunch was taken.