Potts, Carse fill boots as Durham post mammoth 575

Derbyshire 443 and 89 for 0 (Reece 54*) path Durham 575 (Lees 171, Bedingham 138, Carse 80, Potts 64, Conners 5-115) by 43 runs

The prospects of a optimistic consequence on a pitch the place greater than 800 runs had been scored on the primary two days receded additional when solely 47 balls had been bowled within the morning due to rain.

There was time for Conners to take his fourth wicket when Migael Pretorious was lbw taking part in again to a full-length ball however after lunch the sport was held up once more however this time in weird circumstances. A coin or a washer was discovered embedded within the pitch leading to a delay of a number of minutes earlier than the umpires determined it didn’t pose an issue and each groups agreed the match might proceed.

Potts and Carse took benefit however solely after two wonderful catches had stalled Durham’s advance in direction of a full home of batting factors.

Ollie Robinson was seeking to the duvet boundary when he drove Zak Chappell powerfully however Anuj Dal confirmed why he’s rated one of many prime fielders on the circuit by taking off to his proper and holding a shocking one-handed seize.

Graham Clark’s edged drive at Chappell was virtually previous Harry Got here at first slip however he swooped to drag off an outstanding low catch. At that time, Durham had been nonetheless 33 in need of 450 however Potts continued to exude confidence, placing away the dangerous balls with crisp drives and cuts.

He reached his third first-class fifty by turning Dal off his hip to the superb leg fence for his seventh 4 and with Carse shortly discovering his vary, Durham had been motoring alongside at almost 5 an over.

Carse straight drove Dal for six and he additionally hit 9 fours in a 41-ball fifty that underlined the dominance of bat over ball.

The lead was 86 when Potts drove at Reece within the ultimate over earlier than tea and Wayne Madsen pouched his twenty sixth catch in Championship cricket this season. However there was no respite after the interval as Carse and Ben Raine added 43 earlier than Carse was caught behind down the leg aspect off Reece.

Conners shortly cleaned up Matthew Parkinson to assert his fifth wicket and go away Derbyshire with 27 overs to bat till the shut.

Reece and Got here had some anxious moments towards Raine and Potts with the brand new ball however as soon as they settled in, performed with rising assurance on a pitch which reveals no signal of deteriorating.

Reece got here down the monitor to dispatch Parkinson for six and though Got here edged Raine simply over the slips, Durham couldn’t break by way of and with heavy rain forecast for a lot of day 4, a draw seems to be more and more seemingly.