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Defeat on day two at Durham
Ben Stokes showed his class with the ball as Durham beat Somerset by an innings and six runs on the second day of this Vitality County Championship clash at the Seat Unique Riverside.
Stokes, who claimed figures of four for 23, was backed up by Ben Raine, Peter Siddle and Paul Coughlin as they skittled a rejigged Somerset batting line up that was battling illness and injury, despite the visitors being on top in the early stages of the day.
Concussion substitute turned five-wicket hero Jake Ball took the prized wicket of Division One’s leading run scorer David Bedingham early on and had the hosts 199 for nine at one point, but lower order runs from Raine and Siddle got the hosts to a total of 265, a first innings lead of 94.
Durham’s bowling attack have struggled at times this season but Stokes was back to his best with the ball as he led his side to a vital win and claimed match figures of eight for 77.
The win sees Durham climb to fourth and Somerset remain in second in the Vitality County Championship Division One table.
It was vital for either side to have a good start with the match firmly in the balance after an eventful first day.
It was Somerset who got the upper hand early on as Ball grabbed his fourth of the innings when overnight centurion Bedingham, who became the first ever Durham player to score four consecutive hundreds on day one, edged behind to James Rew for 101, only adding one to his overnight score.
Craig Overton then continued the visitors’ perfect start as he removed Coughlin for two, before Ball secured his seventh First Class five-wicket haul with the scalp of Callum Parkinson.
Raine was the last man to go at the hands of Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory for 46 after putting on 66 with Siddle, a record tenth wicket partnership in this fixture, and the Australian was left unbeaten on 31.
The final pair helped Durham reach 265 all out, handing the hosts one batting bonus point and a sizeable first innings lead on a pitch that offered plenty for the bowlers.
Raine then quickly switched focus to his bowling as he removed Tom Abell for the second time in the match, with the opener edging behind to Ollie Robinson for two.
Siddle then got in on the action as he bowled fellow Australian Matt Renshaw for six with one that kept low to leave Somerset 12 for two.
Tom Lammonby and Andy Umeed looked to steady the ship after lunch, but Stokes struck in the first over of his spell, removing Lammonby for the second time in the match after he feathered one behind to Robinson. Stokes struck again in his next over to remove Umeed for 16 when he edged to Colin Ackermann at second slip.
Josh Davey, who received a promotion up the order due to Tom Banton being unwell, gave Coughlin his first of the match when he edged to the safe hands of Ackermann.
England Test captain Stokes then got his third of the afternoon when Rew departed for seven after he edged one to Robinson.
Stokes continued his impressive spell when Overton edged to Ackermann to depart for six, then Raine continued his good day when he got Gregory lbw for seven, leaving Somerset staring down the barrel.
Raine then claimed the final wicket as Banton was not fit to bat, bowling Jack Leach for 13 to give Durham a second win of the season.
At the end of the match, Somerset Head Coach, Jason Kerr said: “On day one, I think par was probably over 200 and Migael played well but I knew we had to bowl well and I think we did that. Obviously Bally came in and was absolutely outstanding but we couldn’t support that from the other end during that last wicket partnership.
We were massively in the game this morning. We talked about that first hour and making opportunities and trying to have parity in the game. We knew that once the ball gets to 20 to 30 overs old, it becomes a different surface and that last wicket partnership made a significant difference in the game.”
(on sickness bug in camp) “A few of the guys have got it. Lewis (Gregory) has been struggling with it throughout the game and he’s just been vomiting as we speak, so its not ideal.”
(On Tom Banton) “Bants was slightly different and he’s got a neck injury, which he sustained this morning. Initially we were optimistic that he was going to play some part in the game and towards the end, we thought it wasn’t worth the risk.”
