Steve Harmison Cranks Up to Dismiss Andrew Flintoff and Set Up Quick Finish

Steve Harmison and Graham Onions took eight wickets between them to dismiss Lancashire for 116 before the visitors hit back


The Riverside looks set for its second consecutive three-day finish some time today after 18 wickets tumbled yesterday, mostly to pace bowling of the highest class.

Quicks like Steve Harmison and Sajid Mahmood found conditions so much to their liking that 10-over spells seemed the norm. When Durham were on top ­Harmison bowled 13 off the reel; when Lancashire bounced back Mahmood had three for three in his first six overs.

Had such damage been done on the first day a call might have been put into Lord's and a inspector sent north on a ­pointless journey; the pitch is near ­blameless, ­offering pace and bounce, but only to those able to use it.

Harmison, currently in England exile while he attempts to win the favour of the new management, and ­Graham Onions, the bowler currently in possession, took eight wickets between them when Lanca­shire were bundled out for 116 – their ­lowest score against Durham.

Onions started the rot with eight overs that reduced Lancashire to 37 for three and a seething rage as first Paul Horton and then Ashwell Prince stood their ground. Horton suggested the ball had caught his shirt rather than his bat and Prince, ­playing his last game for Lancashire before heading back to South Africa, could not believe he was lbw.

Mal Loye, also lbw to Onions, went without complaining before Harmison, in the middle of a spell that spanned lunch, got some reward for consistent pace and hostility. A short delivery reared, Mark Chilton fended and short leg took the loopy catch that brought Flintoff to the crease for a brief stay.

As he suggested he might, Flintoff had earlier cleaned up the Durham tail, but not without a fight and the tail was about to bite him again.

Phil Mustard, the wicketkeeper once thought good enough to have played 10 one-day internationals, had made a ­nuisance of himself adding 32 to Durham's overnight 212 before he tried one liberty too many and was caught, upper-cutting to third man. That brought Harmison down the pavilion steps to be met by Flintoff. Together they ambled on, Harmison took guard with Flintoff still talking, before he removed him first ball caught behind.

Now it was Harmison's turn to put ­Flintoff through the wringer. The 30-year-old veteran of 61 Test matches might have bowled 10 overs, but he raised himself, found a little extra pace and the friend at the other end managed only to edge the ball on to his own stumps and was gone for three.

Mitchell Claydon chipped in with a ­couple – including Glen Chapple for a ­second-ball duck – before Onions and Harmison came back to wrap up the innings and hand the bowling baton to the other England duo on show, ­Flintoff and Mahmood. Mahmood rose to the occasion with easily his best spell of the match.

Michael Di Venuto mistimed a pull, Mark Stoneman was done by lift and Will Smith got squared up by a ball that pitched just short of a length and took an edge on its way through to the wicket­keeper leaving ­Durham three for three. ­Flintoff's per­formance at the other end – six overs ­conceding just one – almost went unnoticed.

In the circumstances Ian Blackwell's undefeated 65 was invaluable – 250 will take some getting today.

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 6/12/2009
 
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