Durham frustrated by century-makers

DURHAM were defied by century-makers Justin Langer and Craig Kieswetter, with a little help from the weather, at Taunton yesterday as for the second successive match a deserved victory eluded them.

They looked likely winners when they took three wickets in the morning sunshine, but the fifth-wicket pair put on 197 before Kieswetter departed when the deficit was only 35.

After making 35 not out in his side’s shambolic first-innings total of 69, Langer was again unbeaten, reaching 122 when a halt was called with ten overs left with Somerset on 485 for five, 11 runs ahead.

The tea interval was extended by 20 minutes because of rain, and as only 90 minutes’ play had been possible on the third day, Durham couldn’t afford any further interruptions as they tried to capitalise on their own record first-innings lead of 474.

They didn’t bowl badly, but the pitch was flat and Langer was at his obdurate best, while 21-year-old Kieswetter confirmed the talent which persuaded Somerset to snap him up in his second term at Millfield School.

A wicketkeeper with a Scottish mother, he played for South Africa in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup, before going to Millfield for the final year of his schooling. He played for Somerset seconds that year and has made rapid progress.

He adopted a fearless approach when he joined his captain on 242 for four, although former team-mate Ian Blackwell almost bowled him on seven.

That was during the one over the left-arm spinner bowled straight after lunch, when Durham had to get through three overs before taking the new ball.

The other two were bowled by Mitch Claydon, who had bowled well in the morning, but in his final over before making way for new-ball pair Graham Onions and Steve Harmison he allowed Kieswetter to hit three fours.

Durham would not initially have been unhappy to see the youngster going for his shots.

But he never looked back, pulling Harmison for six in racing to a 64-ball half-century while Langer took 106 balls to reach the landmark.

Durham needed two wickets with the new ball to get into a flimsy tail. Onions had a good appeal for lbw turned down with Langer on 37, but the Australian left-hander had advanced to 72 before he gave a sniff of a chance.

He edged Callum Thorp at catchable height but the ball perfectly bisected first and second slip.

Durham finally turned to Blackwell, partly because they were in danger of losing points for a poor over-rate, and Langer drove successive balls for four and six. As there was apparently some animosity between them last season, Langer allowed himself a quiet smile.

Blackwell did turn the ball, however, and he finally snared Kieswetter after the youngster went to his century with a series of imperious shots after tea.

Phil Mustard held the edge and there was almost a repeat next ball as Peter Trego pushed forward and missed by a whisker.

Shortly afterwards Onions had another confident lbw appeal rejected with Langer on 98, but the home captain went to his century by driving Blackwell over mid-on for four and celebrating with a number of triumphal gestures.

Durham were happy with their work in the morning as they took three wickets. It took 40 minutes for Onions to make the breakthrough. Marcus Trescothick had added 15 to his overnight 90 when he shaped to drive on off stump and edged to Gordon Muchall at first slip.

Thorp nipped one back off the pitch to bowl James Hildreth off his pads after the youngster had made a composed 71. Then Zander de Bruyn wafted wide of off stump at Claydon and Muchall took a good catch low to his right.

At that point a Durham win was very much on the cards, but Langer proved immovable.

■ Durham stage two Friends Provident Trophy matches at Riverside over the Bank Holiday, both starting at noon. Tomorrow they face Surrey, who have made a poor start under the management of Chris Adams and have lost both matches in the competition.

Adams’ former club, Sussex, are the visitors on Monday and, like Surrey, they have already lost away to Gloucestershire, who share top spot in the group with Yorkshire.

Scoreboard

Somerset v Durham At Taunton

Overnight: Durham 543 (D M Benkenstein 181, G J Muchall 68, M J DiVenuto 53, I D Blackwell 50). Somerset 69 (G Onions 6-31) and 178-1 (M ETrescothick 90 no, J C Hildreth 52 no).

Somerset Second Innings

M E Trescothick c Muchall b Onions ...105

J C Hildreth b Thorp ........................71

J L Langer not out ........................122

Z de Bruyn c Muchall b Claydon ...........6

C Kieswetter c Mustard b Blackwell ...106

P D Trego not out ......................21

Extras (b3 lb16 nb6 pens 0) ........25

Total 5 wkts (129 overs)..........485

Fall: 1-49 2-200 3-227 4-242 5-439

Did Not Bat: O A C Banks, A C Thomas, D A Stiff, C M Willoughby.

Bowling: Onions 29-5-110-1. Thorp 29-9- 80-1. S J Harmison 27-7-100-0. Claydon 23- 3-95-2. Blackwell 21-2-81-1.

Somerset (6pts) drew with Durham (12pts).