Durham open season at the Riverside

The season started at the Riverside with the lowest score made against Durham CCC since the club attained first-class status in 1992. The owners of this particular record, 67 all out, are now the Durham University Cricket Centre of Excellence - UCCE - playing in their inaugural first-class fixture. A small piece of cricketing history is made with the development of the UCCE's but performances such as this will do little for the confidence of the students.

Electing to bat after winning the toss on a freezing cold morning, Durham UCCE struggled on a wicket where there seemed plenty of lateral movement for the seam attack. Their first first-class runs came in the fourth over when the 6 foot 10 inch tall Will Jefferson pushed Killeen through the leg side for 3. In the seventh over an edge through slips by the same batter brought up the first boundary but for the most part the going was tough for the students.

Jefferson's opening partner, Michael Brown, did not manage a run in his 46 minute occupation of the crease. Killeen ended his misery by having him caught by the alert Peng at short-leg. It had taken 13 overs to score 18 runs before Brown departed. In the 17th over Peng and Killeen combined in the same way to send back the top scorer Jefferson for 22. Banes had come and gone by this time for no score and there was then little resistance until a ninth wicket partnership of 17 between Bruce and Ferley.

Neil Killeen finished with 3 wickets for 14 and he was the pick of the bowlers on a day when every Durham seamer had a wicket.

In reply the Durham openers Gough and Lewis were untroubled to a partnership of 50 when Ferley, the left-armer, got a delivery to straighten and trap Gough leg before for 22. The best weather of the day was felt in the last hour of play as spring sunshine reinforced the reputation of this ground as being one of the prettiest in England. Lewis went to one of the easier half-centuries of his career in a leisurely 134 balls making the boundary eight times. At the other end Jimmy Daley remained unbeaten on 30 whilst Lewis had advanced to 61 and the Durham score to 134 for one.

The University players cannot be faulted in terms of attitude and spirit but on the evidence of the first days play there is quite a gap between the two sides in terms of technique and application. This is hardly surprising when one side is composed of full time professionals and the other side of those just making their way in the game.