County battling to avoid innings defeat (From Worcester News)

County battling to avoid innings defeat

7:16pm Friday 25th September 2009 in

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WORCESTERSHIRE were to-day battling to avoid an innings defeat to LV County Championship Division One winners Durham after a dull day of cricket at New Road.

Following a run-glut on Thursday by the champions, when they notched 390-3 in 91 overs, they finally declared on 634-8 after a mammoth 172.1 overs.

Chief soul destroyer was their West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

By the end of the second day’s play when he reached his century off 151 balls, he finally reached his double- hundred after 382 deliveries in a tiresome eight hours and 22 minutes at the crease.

His innings was not a good advert for Championship cricket and will only live in the memory for those wishing to cure insomnia.

The West Indian may not be the most exciting batsman to watch, but at New Road yesterday he was earning himself the nickname Chander-crawl.

Worcestershire’s bowlers, who took such a battering on the second day, did improve even if four of the five main bowlers did concede more than 100 runs.

There were of course five wickets for them to enjoy. Gareth Andrew had Dale Benkenstein caught behind by Steve Davies for 109 in 16th over of the day and just six overs later Richard Jones trapped Ian Blackwell leg before for nine.

Phil Mustard was next to go after the lunch break as Jones picked up his second wicket of the match then Liam Plunkett fell to Mit-chell, while Mitchell Claydon was the last man to go, edging Whelan behind.

Chanderpaul then crawled his way to his sixth first-class double-hundred before the visitors declared.

Stephen Moore was trapped leg-before for 16 in the penultimate over of the day as the County closed on 41-1, still trailing by 237 runs.