County attack made to suffer (From Worcester News)

County attack made to suffer

6:10pm Thursday 24th September 2009 in

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WORCESTERSHIRE’S inexperienced bowling attack were handed a harsh lesson on what happens to poor bowling.

Often described as ‘developing’ or ‘learning’ cricketers by director of cricket Steve Rhodes, Gareth Andrew, Richard Jones, Chris Whelan and Moeen Ali will all need to heed the lessons handed out by Durham.

The LV County Championship Division One winners were in no mood to go gently on a bowling attack that is still trying to find their way in the first-class arena.

Only Jack Shantry, who signed a two-year contract with the club on Wednesday, can hold his head high as Durham wasted little time in knocking off the 356 Worcestershire put on in their first innings.

Far too often the New Road bowlers provided their opposition with leg-side and wide off-side long-hops which were duly punished.

Spinner Moeen said earlier in the season that if he got smashed with his first ball he was shot.

After his first two deliveries today, he had conceded two fours while his first four overs, despite the wicket of Michael Di Venuto, cost him 37 runs — 18 more than he scored with the bat.

Even the wicket of the centurion opener was due to batsman error.

Di Venuto wanted to hit Moeen into the river only to misjudge his shot and he walked back to the pavilion having scored 113 in 114 balls.

Figures are often deceiving and, while people may think Andrew’s figures of 22-6-82-1 were reasonably respectable, in truth some of the balls were so wide the Durham batsman didn’t bother playing a shot.

The wicket the former Somerset player did claim, Kyle Coetzer for 44, was pulled to mid-on where Jones was waiting.

Shantry’s efforts were rewarded with the wicket of Durham’s skipper Will Smith as he edged the 21-year-old to Steve Davies for 28, before Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit a 151-ball century.

There was a short spell when Worcestershire’s bowlers tightened the reins slightly before the tea interval.

But it was business as usual afterwards as Durham closed on 390-3, a lead of 34 runs with seven first-innings wickets remaining.

Worcestershire, who earlier resumed on 347-9, saw Shantry hit the required runs to secure a fourth batting point.

It ensured they surpassed the lowest points tally in a campaign in the two-division championship — 88.5 set by Glamorgan in 2005.

Liam Plunkett wrapped up the innings in the third over of the day with the wicket of Shantry.