analysis Spirited display pleases Scotland coach Steindl

Saltires

G Maiden c Mustard b Onions 0

R Flannigan b Blackwell 39

E Chalmers c Breese b Onions 1

J Davey lbw b Onions 6

R Berrington b Breese 31

L Butterworth run out 8

P Mommsen not out 73

M Haq c Coetzer b Claydon 30

G Goudie not out 11

Extras (lb 3 w13) 16

Total (for seven, 40 overs) 215

Fall 1-1, 2-5, 3-16, 4-80, 5-86, 6-93, 7-70

Bowling Onions 8-1-46-3, Claydon 8-0-43-1, Brathwaite 6-0-49-0, Blackwell 8-0-25-1, Breese 8-0-28-1, Harmison 1-0-15-0, Benkenstein 1-0-6-0

Durham

P Mustard c Berrington b Parker 1

K Coetzer c Drummond b Davey 27

B Stokes c Butterworth b Davey 50

G Muchall not out 95

D Benkenstein c Berrington

b Mommsen 12

I Blackwell c&b Mommsen 4

G Breese not out 21

Extras (b1 w5) 6

Total (for five, 38.2 overs) 216

Fall 1-8, 2-75, 3-101, 4-135, 5-145

Bowling Parker 5-0-39-1, Butterworth 6-0-40-0, Goudie 6-0-42-0, Drummond 4.2-0-30-0, Davey 6-2-18-2, Haq 6-0-29-0 Mommsen 5-0-20-2

Durham won by five wickets

SCOTLAND were defeated but not disgraced by Durham in their CB40 opener at Chester-le-Street yesterday. A sparkling 73no from Preston Mommsen allowed the Saltires to set a challenging 215 before a spirited display in the field pushed the county side almost all the way.

However, Mommsen was ultimately upstaged by Gordon Muchall, whose unbeaten 95 carried Durham to a five-wicket victory with 10 balls to spare.

“We had a massive opportunity out there,” said Pete Steindl, the Saltires coach. “We showed great character and fight to come back from difficult positions with both bat and in the field.”

With their tails still up after Mommsen’s late onslaught at the conclusion to their own innings, the Scots were given a further boost when Matty Parker struck in the first over. Phil Mustard had made just a single when he attempted to cut through the offside only to pick out the safe hands of Richie Berrington at backward point.

However, a stand of 67 in just eight overs between Kyle Coetzer and Ben Stokes put the county firmly on course. Stokes, the new hope of English cricket, hit a couple of lusty blows off Luke Butterworth and when Coetzer followed suit the Australian was removed from the Saltires’ attack.

The introduction of Josh Davey bought immediate reward when the on-loan Middlesex player drew a false shot from Coetzer who holed out to Gordon Drummond at mid-on for 27. Stokes went on to complete a half-century from only 40 balls before he became Davey’s second victim, caught at deep mid-wicket by Butterworth.

Scotland stuck to their guns, and enjoyed a further success when Berrington produced a remarkable one-handed catch to remove Dale Benkenstein, the Durham captain, off Mommsen.

When Mommsen struck again with a return catch to dismiss Ian Blackwell, the game was evenly poised and visiting spectators dared to hope that this might be Scotland’s day. Instead Muchall, supported by Gareth Breese, struck 10 fours and a six as Durham eased home.

The Saltires suffered two mini-collapses yet emerged with credit thanks to some impressive batting from Mommsen. Their day got off to a bad start when Gregor Maiden edged the second ball of the match from Graham Onions to wicket-keeper Mustard.

It was the first of three wickets for the England seamer who struck again in his next over to remove Ewan Chalmers. The Watsonians batsman had scored a brilliant century at Lord’s on Thursday but he was brought back to earth when Breese held a marvellous catch. Davey then followed to leave the Scots down by 16-3.

Mommsen, though, produced some sustained hitting in reaching a superb unbeaten 73 from only 54 balls. He reached his first half-century against county opposition in the grand manner when he clipped Onions over mid-wicket for a maximum.

“Preston [Mommsen] batted really well to make his 73 and showed he has a lot to offer batting down the order,” said Steindl.

The Saltires continue their campaign in a televised fixture against Leicestershire at Grace Road today.