More work for Blackwell after magnificent century

IAN BLACKWELL again demonstrated his batting prowess with a magnificent century when Durham were in danger of under-achieving yesterday.

Now they will hope the Edgbaston pitch helps him to tune up the other string to his bow.

The turn achieved by Warwickshire’s off-spinner Jeetan Patel on the first day confirmed that Durham were right to draft in Gareth Breese at the expense of Mitch Claydon and after reaching 322 for six they have a chance to dictate the game.

Breese survived a shaky start and a straightforward chance to third slip on 21 to contribute 48 to a stand of 86.

For Blackwell this was the fifth time he had passed 50 in nine championship innings and he went on to complete his first century since the season’s curtain-raiser against MCC at Lord’s.

His left-arm spin has produced only four wickets in five championship games, but he can expect much more bowling here after Durham won a crucial toss on a glorious day.

The burly left-hander came to the rescue after Durham slipped to 120 for four, and there were doubts about Mark Stoneman’s fitness to resume after retiring with a thigh strain. But he returned with Gordon Muchall as his runner when Breese fell ten minutes from the close.

Earlier the 20-year-old seamer Chris Woakes had bowled impressively to earn three lbw verdicts and Patel was causing problems.

But there was little else to worry about in the Warwickshire attack and once Woakes rested following his second lengthy spell Blackwell began to accelerate.

On 15 he deliberately ran left-armer Neil Carter to the vacant third man boundary and the next ball went to the same area, this time off a thick edge, which was a rare blemish.

Blackwell then drove Patel for a straight six before sweeping and cutting successive balls for four to force the off-spinner out of the attack.

Phil Mustard could afford to sit back as he contributed only seven to the 50 stand, but he was also beginning to flourish until Patel returned and outfoxed him.

After Mustard lofted the spinner to the long-on boundary Patel tossed the next ball higher and although he checked his initial instinct to go for it Mustard edged it to slip.

Patel’s next two balls troubled Breese, but against the quicker bowlers he soon began to play his characteristic square drives as Blackwell resolved to see out the day, while never missing a chance to put away poor balls.

Stoneman had made 17 of the first 23 runs when he had to retire after five overs. It was a real blow for the Blaydon youngster, who must have sensed a golden opportunity to improve his season’s average of 19.62.

He sent for the physio after the fourth over and after taking a couple of pain-killers he tried to carry on with Mustard as a runner. But an over later he limped off.

It all looked predictably easy until Stoneman’s injury, but Michael Di Venuto began to struggle and Woakes showed he could trouble the right-handers by starting the ball on leg and middle and moving it away.

Will Smith was lbw for one, then Gordon Muchall opened up with three fours driven through the off side off Woakes, and as the third was in the air just wide of cover the young bowler gave him a few verbals.

Muchall then edged Woakes just wide of third slip and pulled the next ball for his fifth boundary to race past Di Venuto.

The Tasmanian later began to flourish, only to be beaten on 30 by both Carter and the 6ft 8in Irishman Boyd Rankin.

With seven fours in his first 30 runs, Muchall looked primed for a big score when he was on 37 at lunch, but he added only two before Woakes torpedoed him with a ball which kept a little low.

He also pinned Di Venuto for 40 when bowling round the wicket, then Dale Benkenstein pulled a Carter long hop into the hands of mid-wicket.

That was when Blackwell took over, reaching 50 off 81 balls by driving Patel for his seventh four wide of midoff.

He completed his hundred off 148 balls, hooking Rankin behind square for his 13th four to go with his one six.

Breese was brilliantly caught at deep mid-wicket by Jim Troughton, but it was heartening to see Stoneman return and he will hope to add substantially to his 20 runs today.

SCORECARD

Warwickshire v Durham
At Edgbaston. Durham Won Toss

Durham First Innings Close
M J Di Venuto lbw b Woakes 40
M D Stoneman not out 21
W R Smith lbw b Woakes 1
G J Muchall lbw b Woakes 39
D M Benkenstein c Troughton b Carter 14
I D Blackwell not out 107
P Mustard c Bell b Patel 24
G R Breese c Troughton b Carter 48
Extras (b13 lb6 w7 nb2 pens 0) 28
Total 6 wkts (96 overs) 322
Fall: 1-31 2-97 3-114 4-120 5-206 6-304
To Bat: C D Thorp, G Onions, S J Harmison.
Woakes 23-6-70-3. Rankin 19-4-61-0. Carter
17-4-60-2. Patel 24-2-78-1. Trott 1-1-0-0.
Botha 12-2-34-0.