Surrey are facing an uphill struggle against Durham as they closed on 69-5 in their second innings trailing the hosts by 112. Durham were all out for 310 in their first innings, a lead of 181. And Surrey found themselves in trouble in the final session of the day with Rory Burns guiding them to stumps, finishing unbeaten on 28.
Durham began the morning with Paul Collingwood and Dale Benkenstein at the crease and they both began solidly in the face of some testing bowling from Surrey. They moved Durham into the lead and they built on their hard work of the previous evening.
Benkenstein after a lean summer moved to his first Championship fifty of the season with a couple of runs off Jade Dernbach from his 85th delivery. The partnership with Collingwood moved past 100 and the lead continued to grow.
Collingwood moved to his fifty as he used his feet to Zafar Ansari and lofted him down the ground for four. The Durham captain had faced 135 deliveries and Surrey’s frustrations were beginning to grow.
The partnership was worth 132 when Dernbach finally made the breakthrough bowling Benkenstein with a splendid delivery for 69. Collingwood was joined by Phil Mustard and they took Durham to lunch with the scoreboard reading 204-5 a lead of 75.
After the break Collingwood and Mustard started positively moving Durham’s lead towards a hundred. But Dernbach then claimed his 200th First Class wicket when he had Collingwood caught behind for 78 to leave Durham 229-6.
Scott Borthwick quickly followed caught by Rory Burns off Tim Linley for one but Calum Thorp joined Mustard and the Durham pair proceeded to put on 72 for the 8th wicket. Mustard was the aggressor and Thorp kept him company and even though Surrey thought they had Mustard LBW for 43 he eventually departed for 46 off Jon Lewis to leave Durham 303-8.
De Bruyn then dismissed Graham Onions for one and Lewis finished the Durham innings when he had Thorp caught by Gareth Batty at slip for 32. Durham all out for 310, a lead of 181.
With 26 overs left in the day Surrey faced a difficult final session and they found themselves 17-1 when Zafar Ansari was caught at slip by Collingwood off Onions for 5. And that became 27-2 when Harinath was LBW to Stokes for 6.
Burns was looking solid and showing excellent technique and temperament once again. But Surrey lost their third wicket when De Bruyn was run out by Benkenstein for 10. And they found themselves in deep trouble when Roy was adjudged LBW to Stokes for 1.
And in the penultimate over of the day Steven Davies was caught behind for 15 off the bowling of Chris Rushworth as Surrey went to stumps with the scoreboard reading 69-5 and Burns unbeaten on 28.
A tough day for Surrey and they know they will have to battle hard on the third morning to try and keep themselves in the game.
To see highlights of the second day watch the video below
Durham Day 2 from Surrey Cricket on Vimeo.
