Durham v Worcestershire (County Championship) : Day One

THE joy of Liam Plunkett’s career-best bowling was swiftly swept away yesterday as Durham slumped to one for three at Riverside against division one’s bottom club, Worcestershire.

The visitors were dismissed for 193 with Plunkett taking six for 63 then, with 14 overs to face, Durham made a calamitous start.

They lost two wickets in successive balls to Kabir Ali without a run on the board.

Michael Di Venuto shuffled across and got a thick inside edge into his leg stump, then a full-length away swinger took out Will Smith’s off pole.

In the next over Gordon Muchall pushed forward and edged Matt Mason to the wicketkeeper, bringing in Dale Benkenstein to join makeshift opener Kyle Coetzer.

In his first championship appearance since losing his place after three games last season, Coetzer looked very solid and the pair took Durham to 40 for three at the close.

Plunkett’s roller-coaster career soared to an unexpected high as he returned to championship action earlier than expected and defied the discomfort in his groin, showing great stamina in a lengthy spell which brought him the last five wickets.

When Plunkett took six for 74 at home to Hampshire in 2004, it seemed inconceivable that someone of his ability would wait five years to better those figures.

But flirtations with England and tinkering with his action didn’t help and there have also been numerous injuries.

He missed the entire 2006 season, and his last fivewicket haul was at home to Kent early in 2007.

After a wayward opening yesterday, he was handed his first wicket by a loose shot from Daryl Mitchell but earned the rest through the sustained excellence of his long afternoon spell.

With the clammy conditions conducive to swing, Smith put Worcestershire in, no doubt also swayed by the fact that three of their top six were with Graham Onions and Steve Harmison on England Lions duty.

But new ball pair Callum Thorp and Mitch Claydon were unable to make much impression and it was Mark Davies, the pick of the bowlers in the morning, who made the breakthrough on his comeback after injury.

Coming on at 15 for none after 12 overs, Davies opened up with a maiden then had 19- year-old Dutch international Alexei Kervezee caught at second slip by Di Venuto with his ninth ball.

Mitchell had ground out nine runs off 57 balls when he edged Plunkett just wide of third slip for four, then two balls later he flashed airily outside off stump and edged to Phil Mustard.

Dale Benkenstein came on for an over before lunch and was immediately cut for two fours by Ben Smith before his fifth ball was edged by lefthander Moeen Ali to Plunkett at third slip.

SCORECARD

Durham v Worcestershire
At Riverside.

Worcestershire First Innings
D K Mitchell c Mustard b Plunkett 13
A N Kervezee c Di Venuto b Davies 6
M M Ali c Plunkett b Benkenstein 9
B F Smith b Claydon 33
D A Wheeldon c Di Venuto b Thorp 7
A A Noffke c Mustard b Plunkett 50
G J Batty b Plunkett 19
Kabir Ali c Thorp b Plunkett 28
J P Knappett not out 4
C D Whelan b Plunkett 0
M S Mason c Thorp b Plunkett 2
Extras (b9 lb5 w2 nb6 pens 0) 22
Total (79.1 overs) .193
Fall: 1-18 2-26 3-56 4-80 5-80 6-137 7-187
8-187 9-191
Bowling: Thorp 16-8-34-1. Claydon 17-4-32-
1. Davies 13-5-29-1. Plunkett 23.1-3-63-6.
Benkenstein 2-1-11-1. Blackwell 8-5-10-0.

Durham First Innings Close
M J Di Venuto b Kabir Ali 0
K J Coetzer not out 20
W R Smith b Kabir Ali 0
G J Muchall c Knappett b Mason 0
D M Benkenstein not out 17
Extras (lb1 nb2 pens 0) 3
Total 3 wkts (14 overs) 40
Fall: 1-0 2-0 3-1
To Bat: I D Blackwell, P Mustard, L E Plunkett,
C D Thorp, M E Claydon, M Davies.
Bonus Pts: Durham 3 Worcestershire 0
Bowling: Kabir Ali 5-2-17-2. Mason 7-3-14-1. Noffke
2-0-8-0.