County Championship: Durham leave it late to beat stubborn Worcestershire

Durham's Matt Kuhnemann took his fifth career five-wicket haul to finally finish off the Pears

Matt Kuhnemann claimed a five-wicket haul to guide Durham to a dramatic final-day County Championship Division Two win over Worcestershire at the Riverside.

Durham coach Ryan Campbell promised that his side would not settle for a draw, and his team were as good as his word as skipper Scott Borthwick and David Bedingham laid the foundations with a 196-run partnership in a morning onslaught.

The Pears required 314 to win from 70 overs after Durham declared. However, after being reduced to 3-2, the visitors almost hung on for draw as last pair Adam Finch and Dillon Pennington held out for 14 of the last 19 overs.

Beginning the final day with a 155-run lead, Borthwick set the tempo as he reached three figures for the first time in two years - his first ton at Chester-le-Street since returning to the club.

Bedingham was more brutal assault, hitting four sixes, including one onto the health club balcony, in his 87-ball 86.

The declaration came 20 minutes before lunch, and there was time for England paceman Matty Potts to make inroads as Jake Libby was caught at the second attempt by Michael Jones at first slip and Ed Pollock was well caught by a diving Raine at mid-on.

Worcestershire's first-innings centurion Jack Haynes and Azhar Ali calmed things down. But both Azhar (33) and Haynes (40) departed to brilliant diving catches from Ben Raine at deep backward square leg off Kuhnemann.

Kuhnemann's impressive spell continued with a beauty to bowl Gareth Roderick before Matthew Waite and skipper Brett D'Oliveira put on 44 for the sixth wicket.

But Paul Coughlin prised out Waite before Joe Leach became Kuhnemann's fourth victim for an 18-ball duck, then Potts broke the game open when he found D'Oliveira's outside edge and Ben Gibbon followed his skipper back the pavilion from the next delivery.

Pennington survived the hat-trick ball, then put up a great fight with Finch. But, in fading light, Kuhnemann turned one past Pennington to bowl the Pears last man and secure victory.

Durham captain Scott Borthwick:

"Even missing almost two-and-a-half sessions for rain, we believed that we could get a result. We were brave to declare on a good wicket, but we got out rewards. We always wanted to try and win, rather than play out the draw. Our plan worked, and it's an amazing feeling.

"All the bowlers were outstanding. The three seamers were excellent and Kuhnemann was fantastic. When you've got a spinner of his class, he does two jobs, holding an end and getting wickets. He showed his quality with three great deliveries.

"It was a great partnership with Bedingham. From a personal point of view, it was nice to get a hundred because I've had three 90s since my last one."

Worcestershire coach Alan Richardson:

"The game ebbed and flowed a little bit and we always wanted the chance to win. It didn't quite come off, but we did have the chance to save it.

To come as close as we did stings a little bit because you don't want to lose games of cricket. But Dillon Pennington and Adam Finch played very well, and applied themselves. And we didn't want to have a game that ended in a meaningless draw.

"Durham played remarkably well. They came out with a good intent and gave themselves a chance to bowl us out. All three results were possible when we went out to bat, which was good position for everyone involved."

Match report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.