By Christopher Lyles at Fenner's
First day of three: Cambridge Univ (21-3) trail Durham (270-3 dec) by 249 runs
YESTERDAY marked the 150th anniversary to the day when Cambridge University met MCC in the first match that they played at Fenner's. Dickie Bird, officiating as a first-class umpire for the last time at the tranquil setting, was invited to cut a cake to celebrate the occasion and the Durham batsmen feasted on similar offerings proffered by a flimsy university attack.
Opening pair Stewart Hutton and Michael Gough were in positive mood and both took the opportunity to score a century on a true pitch.
Gough, playing in only his third first-class game, looks an interesting prospect. The England Under-19 player is 6ft 4in tall, stands upright at the crease, plays straight and is especially strong off his legs. He seems a little one-paced and will undoubtedly face better attacks, but this was a polished innings.
In fairness to the students who were without Anurag Singh, Ed Smith and Adam Janisch - all revising for Finals - they never let their heads drop when Hutton and Gough were together and the fielding remained committed.
After Hutton holed out to deep square, Andrew Pratt went cheaply before Gough eventually perished, brilliantly run out by Cambridge's stand-in captain Quentin Hughes.
Following the declaration it was a happy 45 minutes for Simon Brown, whois making his first appearance of the season and testing his injured knee, took three for two in the space of seven balls.
Day 2: Attritional cricket
It was attritional cricket at Fenner's as Quentin Hughes and Ben Collins shared a seventh-wicket stand for Cambridge University that spanned 25 overs but gleaned only 30 runs, writes Christopher Lyles.
Collins, 20, a theology freshman, was last out, dismissed when he pulled a long hop into Michael Gough's hip as the short leg tried to take evasive action and the ball ricocheted to surprised bowler Jason Searle.
Simon Brown bowled with zest and accuracy and five of his six victims were leg before - the first time he has taken six wickets in an innings since July 1996.
Durham opted for batting practice rather than enforcing the follow on and John Morris and Jimmy Daley made serene progress. After Daley's departure Morris reached 110 as Durham extended their lead to 337.
Day 3: Phillips turns in career-best 4-58
By Christopher Lyles at Fenner's
Durham (270-3 dec & 186-1 dec) bt Cambridge Univ (119 & 242) by 95 runs
DURHAM completed victory against Cambridge University with 16.3 overs to spare but the Light Blues certainly gave a sturdier account of themselves at the crease second time around.
The notional target of 338 following Durham's overnight declaration was never a serious consideration for the students. Off-spinner Nicky Phillips was acquiring some turn from Simon Brown's footmarks but a sticky dog of yore it was not. Phillips finished with career-best figures of four for 58.
Will House made a cultured 65 from 76 balls before pushing a slower one from Brown to Neil Killeen at mid-on. It was his second half-century in consecutive matches. House received worthy support from Phil Moffat and then Ben Collins, who acquitted himself well on his first-class debut.