Date-stamped : 06 Sep97 - 06:08 Knight and Wagh combine forces By Simon Hughes at Chester-le-Street First day of four: Warwickshire 338-5 v Durham THE mysterious North-East lurgy continues to afflict Durham captains. David Boon, fourth in the lineage, may have recorded the first centuries by a Durham leader, but cannot do quite enough to lift his team out of the nether regions of the table. He had a forgettable morning yesterday, having spied a bit of moisture in the pitch and asked Warwickshire to bat. He was hit in the mouth from a deflected edge in the second over, which re- quired three stitches. When he returned, he put down two slip catches - having swallowed everything all summer - assisting Warwickshire to 114 for none at lunch. Wisely, Boon stayed off the field for most of the next two sessions and gradually the Durham bowlers found the luck that had de- serted them earlier. The damage had been done, howev- er, with Nick Knight and Mark Wagh`s opening stand of 206, evok- ing memories of the inaugural match here two years ago (War- wickshire did not lose a wicket until tea and eventually won by a mile). Knight had every incentive to shine, with England coach David Lloyd present to assess his form, but he was upstaged by the Ox- ford captain Wagh. Knight pulled and cut impressively, but there is still some- thing stuttery about his footwork. After early flirtations, Wagh was smoother, resembling an embryonic Chris Tavar. He even wan- ders off to square leg in the same way. Knight, missed on 37, was strangled down the leg side in sight of a recall-promoting century, by which time Wagh - given two lives - had already reached his maiden championship hundred. With three other hundreds and more than 1,000 first-class runs, he will remem- ber 1997 with more pleasure than his Australian namesake. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Walker the workhorse By Simon Hughes at Chester-le-Street Second day of four: Durham (12-0) trail Warkwickshire (412) by 400 runs GUSTY winds carrying horizontal drizzle cost 80 overs play yesterday and the rattling flagpole wires, billowing white tarpaulins and people in sou`westers was more in tune with a day by the English sea- side. It was frustrating for the Durham bowlers who in the morning had deservedly edged their team back into the match with four wickets in eight overs. Then a combination of lengthy showers and the ob- duracy of Warwickshire`s last wicket pair prolonged the innings until 5.20pm. With the prospect of having to negoti- ate 40 minutes of Allan Donald with a gale at his back, bad light soon came as a blessed re- lief to the Durham openers. The old Northants pairing of Simon Brown and Alan Walker ac- counted for Warwickshire`s initial decline, and though Brown took four wickets, it was Walker who deserved greater appre- ciation for a valiant, unstinting effort against the cruel wind. The fact that it was sending him back to his mark a good deal quicker than he was arriving into it, only made matters worse, but Walker is the amenable type who would roll and cut the outfield too if he were asked. "This beats my winter job," he said, contemplating the next six months as a landscape garden- er. Warwickshire`s engine room of Dougie Brown and Graeme Welch was quickly shut down by Brown`s in-swing, and the visitors` quest for full batting points fell one run short. But Keith Piper and Donald could not be shifted as both recorded their best scores of the season. Durham, aiming to finish outside the bottom three in the cham- pionship for the first time, will have to bat exceptionally well to salvage something from this match. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Warwicks kept on course by Brown By Simon Hughes at Chester-le-Street Third day of four: Durham (118 & 120-5) trail Warwickshire (412) by 174 runs ANXIOUS to get down to London for the NatWest final before dark on Friday, Warwickshire were keen to compress most of this match into three days with 10.15am starts and late finishes. They need not have worried. Their clinical outcricket and predominantly feeble Durham batting have already done it. Warwickshire erased Durham`s first innings in just over a ses- sion, and made further inroads before tea. Suitable applica- tion from David Boon and Martin Speight at least ensured that there will be play today, though if the weather holds the result is hardly in doubt. High on confidence and efficiency, Warwickshire have looked in a dif- ferent league. Durham, however, are not as bad as they were. Melvyn Betts adds genuine fire to Simon Brown`s brimstone in attack, Michael Foster is an emerging all-rounder, while Jon Lewis and Boon ward off their batting ghouls. They have not lost a championship match at home. Yet. No one could defy the nagging Warwickshire bowlers in the morning, however. Dougie Brown continued to enhance his reputa- tion with a superbly controlled opening spell. Nipping the ball a little either way he was largely responsi- ble for Durham`s decline to 60 for five, though Boon was unlucky to drag on a ball from Graeme Welch which he was trying to leave. Foster offered some muscular resistance until essaying a crude hoik not fit even for Seaburn beach, and Allan Donald cleaned up the tail. Following on 294 behind, Durham`s openers soon fell prey to Brown, making him temporarily the country`s leading wicket-taker with 73. By close of play Derbyshire`s Devon Malcolm had drawn level and Mike Smith, of Gloucestershire, was back in front on 74. Lewis was brilliantly caught one-handed by Keith Piper, his fifth victim of the day, but the best piece of fielding was Don- ald`s from short fine leg. Making light of an ankle niggle he dived and threw off balance, hitting the bowler`s stumps to run out Robin Weston. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Brown has Durham in disarray By Tim Wellock at Chester-le-Street Warwickshire (412) bt Durham (118 & 195) by innings and 99 runs WITH two one-day trophies in their sights, Warwickshire ini- tially appeared in little hurry to end Durham`s death throes yester- day. But once Dougie Brown rearranged the stumps of Mike Foster and Melvyn Betts to become the country`s leading wicket-taker, they quickly wrapped up their sixth championship win of the sea- son. The 12.30 finish gave them 4.5 hours to enjoy a round of golf before catching the London train before tomorrow`s NatWest Trophy fi- nal, and with a top-four championship place still possible it promises to be an exciting climax to the season. Foster moved rapidly on from eight to 22 before playing back to a ball which left him and Betts became Brown`s 75th victim of the season, the Scotsman finishing this contest with match figures of seven for 67. Extra bounce allowed Allan Donald to end David Boon`s five hours of defiance, in which he skilfully protected the tail and reached 1,000 first-class runs for the season on 72. He fell 19 short of a third century in successive matches when he became the sixth victim in the match for wicketkeeper Keith Piper. The obdurate James Boiling, who hung around for 20 overs, was bowled by Donald, who dispelled any fears about his ankle in- jury. Perhaps with the final in mind, Warwickshire also took the chance to give Neil Smith`s off-spin a decent airing. This was Durham`s first home championship defeat of the sea- son, but the fact that it was so emphatic heightened the tradi- tional end-of-season rumblings from members dismayed by sugges- tions that Jim Daley will be allowed to leave. Daley, always considered the brightest of Durham`s young bats- men, has not had a first-class innings all season and has been ap- proached by other counties. He has a year left on his contract and has asked Durham where he stands. But they have delayed announcing their retained list until Sept 21, the day after the season ends. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)