Essex fight back but Durham still well ahead
Paul Walter led the Essex fightback with an unbeaten 80 in his second Championship match of the season
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division One, Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford (day two)
Durham 587: Robinson 198, Lees 113, Ackermann 73, Bedingham 65; Critchley 4-158, Harmer 4-188
Essex 249-4: Walter 80*, Critchley 51*, Elgar 40; Potts 2-65
Essex 2pts, Durham 6pts
Paul Walter and Matt Critchley dug Essex out of trouble on day two of their County Championship clash with Durham.
Durham’s fast-bowling attack had restricted the hosts to 120-4 in response to 587, but Walter struck 80 not out and Critchley an unbeaten 51.
The duo put on 129 for the fifth wicket to close the day on 249-4, trailing by 338 runs.
Earlier, Ollie Robinson had done his England Test hopes no harm with a knock of 198 as Durham secured maximum batting points in their title charge.
Durham, resuming on 445-4, smashed 142 runs in 26 overs before they were bowled out shortly before lunch.
Robinson completed his 150 with the third ball of the day and went on to pass his previous best of 171 – collected against Lancashire in May. He looked set for 200 before trying to force a cut shot only to edge behind.
Simon Harmer and Nick Browne combined to dismiss Colin Ackermann and Bas de Leede, with the South African later bowling former team-mate Peter Siddle. To go with Robinson, Critchley also snaffled Ben Raine and Matt Potts.
After an energy-sapping 122 overs in the field, the hosts were lethargic with the bat.
Browne had already survived being dropped at second slip on 12 when he tickled Potts behind in the sixth over.
Dean Elgar oozed elegance but edged Siddle to first slip before Tom Westley fell leg before to Raine.
Jordan Cox got a start but also fell before making a telling contribution – bowled by the energetic Potts. It left Essex 120-4 and starting to worry about the follow-on target.
But Critchley mimicked Alex Lees’ controlling style, while Walter was closer to Robinson’s aggression, to revive the innings with a century partnership.
Walter was imperious in his decision-making, whether it was slog sweeping for six, clipping off his legs, touching to third man or flashing outside off-stump.
The maximum took him to 2,000 first-class runs before his half-century came up in 63 balls.
Walter and Critchley – whose fifty came in 111 deliveries – were unbreakable in the evening session, as Essex finally found a foothold in the match, but remain 188 runs shy of the follow-on target.
Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.
