MCC defeated in the desert

Date released: 1 April 2010

Durham beat MCC by 311 runs in a match played partly under floodlights using pink cricket balls in Abu Dhabi.

Scorecard | Photos

The cutting-edge architecture of the Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi - click for more photos In an cricketing first, the MCC v Champion County match was moved from its traditional home, at Lord's, the Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

As part of MCC's on-going experiments with pink cricket balls the Club wanted to test them under floodlights in the trying, dry, abrasive conditions in the Middle East.

Durham County Cricket Club were fully supportive of the idea and agreed to the match being staged in Abu Dhabi.

Learning experience

Tails you win: Captains Gidman & Smith at the toss - click for more photos It was to be a learning experience for all concerned and, after skipper Will Smith won the toss, Durham opted to bat on the first of four sunny, hot days.

Many hours later openers Michael DiVenuto and Kyle Coetzer were still there as they piled on 181 for the first wicket, with MCC's bowlers toiling in the hot conditions.

There was a short burst of optimism for MCC as Northamptonshire's James Middlebrook took two wickets with his off-spin - first DiVenuto (131) stumped by a quicksilver James Foster; then Smith edged to the slips just six overs later.

Durham went from 181 without loss to 203-2.

However, Dale Benkenstein (41) and then Ben Stokes (51) steered Durham towards 300 and then 400 runs - as the County Champions batted into day two.

They finally declared on 459-9 but not before MCC found an unlikely bowling hero - Dawid Malan.

Malan, known more for his batting than his occasional off-spin, bowled just six overs but took four wickets for just 20 runs to hasten Durham's declaration.

Moonlight cricket - click for more photos However, with the match firmly in their grasp Durham utilised a new tactic for this game - bowling in the 'twighlight zone'.

With the floodlights on but the sun not yet fully set MCC's batsmen struggled.

With Ashes winner Steve Harmison at full tilt, well supported by Callum Thorp and Mitch Claydon the MCC batsmen found their backs to the wall.

Thorp removed MCC opener Scott Newman (0) LBW in his first over, the second of the innings. David Sales followed in the same fashion, to Harmison, in the next over.

Harmison struck again in just the fourth over, James Taylor edging to 'keeper Phil Mustard, and MCC found themselves at 6-3.

Skipper Alex Gidman (29) partnered Dawid Malan for the next 41 minutes to return some sense of calm before he fell to Durham's spin attack.

Off spinner, Ben Stokes and leg spinner Scott Borthwick replaced the seamers but the wicket-taking carnage continued.

Stokes removed Gidman and Borthwick skittled the tail, taking four wickets in just 4.5 overs.

The spinners celebrations sandwiched a fantastic caught and bowled by Thorp to oust James Foster. MCC all out for 162 found themselves a massive 297 runs behind.

Signs of a fightback

Kirby & Foster celebrate a wicket - click for more photos Durham opted to bat again, confident of putting MCC out of sight at the close of day two and batting into day three.

However, Gloucestershire seamer Steve Kirby had other ideas and at the close of day two he had reduced Durham's second innings to 7-2 - with two wickets in as many balls.

At the start of day three, with Durham re-ordering their batting line-up to give batsmen time in the middle MCC struck again.

Jon Lewis had Smith (11) playing on to his own stumps and Dean Cosker had Ian Blackwell (26) edging to first slip.

At 43-4 MCC could sense an unlikely route back into the match.

Then a steady half-century from Mustard and another 52 runs from Coetzer, who carried his bat, turned the tide back towards Durham.

A thrusting first-class best of 79 from 77 balls by Callum Thorp took Durham to 228-6 and they declared again a mammoth 525 runs ahead.

Durham seemed, once again, to have timed their declaration just right - making MCC bat during the trickiest light conditions.

Ashes-winner on fire: Harmison in action - click for more photos Harmison removed Newman (5) and once again the wickets tumbled. Ian Blackwell took three wickets this time before Borthwick joined in again with three of his own.

At 97-7 the writing was on the wall for MCC and Durham went for the kill, trying to wrap the game up before the close of the third day.

James Taylor (39 from 102 balls) offered some resistance but once he fell to Borthwick MCC's last recognised batsman was gone.

Jon Lewis and Tim Murtagh were at the crease but in definant mood.

The two bowlers had been made to toil twice at the hottest part of the day for both Durham innings and were determined to return the favour to the Durham quicks.

The partnership saw off the last 13 overs of the day, Murtagh 27 from 55 balls and Lewis an aggressive run-a-ball 32. MCC closed on 156-7.

Durham would have to come back and finish the job tomorrow.

Final throes

There to the end: Tim Murtagh - click for more photos The spirited battle didn't last much longer. Even in the blazing heat of the fourth day the Durham bowlers still steamed in relentlessly.

Blackwell had Lewis (32) edging behind for his fourth wicket and Harmison ended Dean Cosker's cameo (14 from 12 balls).

Steve Kirby (16) accompanied Murtagh (55 not out) long enough for the Middlesex man to become MCC's only half-century maker but he was the last man out.

Borthwick, deservedly, took the last wicket to end with match figures of 8-84.

On this form Durham look set to continue their strong LV County Championship form.

In DiVenuto and Coetzer they have batsmen who can both score runs and occupy the crease when necessary.

All-rounder Ian Blackwell scored a century in the corresponding fixture last year but did more damage with ball rather than bat this year - taking four second innings wickets.

Steve Harmison's quick bowling is rightly well known, though less so that of Callum Thorp, who bowled with pace and control in the first innings.

In the spin department Durham may have turned up another gem from their academy in leg-spinner Scott Borthwick.

Almost as impressive as his eight-wicket haul was his cool head under pressure. After conceding early runs in his first spell with the ball the England Under-19 player returned, bowled over the wicket and continually troubled MCC's batsmen.

With Will Smith at the helm, cleverly using elements like twighlight to his team's advantage, Durham may take some stopping as they aim for a third consecutive title.