Preview: Durham CCC vs Somerset CCC
By Noah Worthy
County Championship cricket returns to Chester le Street this Friday, with Durham and Somerset set to clash for the first time in red-ball cricket in almost 8 years, in match week 8 of the new Friday – Monday County Championship schedule.
Durham will seek to bounce back from their defeat in Blackpool earlier in the week and put an end to Somerset’s unbeaten run to start the ’24 campaign.
Durham enter the matchup sitting 7th in Division 1, 32 points back of 2nd place Somerset.
Recent Form
The home side head into the game without a win in their last three, but things are starting to look up for the Northerners. The return of Ben Stokes saw the fast-bowling all-rounder complete a 5-wicket haul on his season debut, despite falling 60 runs short to a neatly constructed Lancashire side. The England test captain struggled with the bat after falling victim to old foe Nathan Lyon in the first innings.
Somerset, in complete contrast, have won both of their last two matches against Kent and Essex respectively, whilst scoring a season-high of 554 runs in their first innings at Taunton last week. Former Durham batsman Sean Dickson will look to kickstart his season this weekend after scoring a poor 173 runs @ 17.3 so far this year.
Head-to-head
The two sides last met in the then-called Specsavers County Championship at Taunton in August 2016. England cult hero Jack Leach starred with the ball for Somerset, taking 9 wickets for 115 runs in the match.
The reverse fixture that year saw Keaton Jennings score 100 in both innings for Durham, Jennings of course now plies his trade for Lancashire, scoring 100 in both innings against his former side last week.
Key Players
David Bedingham
The South African leads the league with 694 runs in 2024 @ 86.75, coming off the back of a century in both innings against Lancashire. Bedingham will be looking to add to his 4 tons for the season and help his side get back to winning ways this weekend.
Craig Overton
England bowling all-rounder Overton could prove pivotal in keeping Somerset on their unbeaten streak. The 6’4 Englishman, commonly mistaken for his twin brother Jamie, has 2 half-centuries this season with a high score of 95* to go with his 12 wickets.
Where to watch?
Durham Cricket YouTube channel from 11 am on Friday 24th May 2024
