1:09pm Friday 3rd September 2010
By Tim Wellock
THE ease with which Sunderland southpaws Phil Mustard and Scott Borthwick added 79 in an hour this morning delayed the captain’s declaration until Durham led by 390.
The fact that he was a bowler light because of Mark Davies’ injury would also have come into the calculation, which left Nottinghamshire with 78 overs to bat.
To add to Durham’s troubles, Liam Plunkett limped off after bowling two overs and when Ben Harmison replaced him 13 came off his first over as the visitors reached 39 for one from 11 overs at lunch.
Nottinghamshire sent in Paul Franks to open, although it wasn’t clear whether this in the hope of a fast start or because they can’t find a reliable partner for Alex Hales.
Franks survived a confident lbw appeal from Mitch Claydon before he had scored but the bowler’s next appeal brought a raised finger from Neil Mallender. Franks looked justified in suspecting that the ball might have missed leg stump, but he was gone for eight.
In the second of Plunkett’s two overs Hales leg glanced a four so fine that it was only just out of Mustard’s reach then ducked into a high full toss. It struck him on the back and the only reason for Trevor Jesty not giving him out lbw was the slight possibility that it would have passed over the top of middle stump.
Claydon bowled an excellent over – his fifth - just before lunch, troubling Adam Voges with almost every ball.
Ian Blackwell departed to the day’s sixth ball, pushing lazily at a Luke Fletcher delivery and edging to Chris Read without adding to his 50.
Borthwick played beautifully for the second time in the match, scoring 43 in the unbroken stand of 79 with Mustard, who was on 51 when he declared with the score on 361 for six.
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