Durham batted out draw with Essex despite Browne 184
- Catch up on cricket updates: Durham holds on for a draw against Essex, despite an impressive innings by Browne scoring 184 runs.
A weather-affected match at the Riverside resulted in a draw, despite Essex batsman Nick Browne scoring his first County Championship century in almost a year and Durham’s Callum Parkinson taking his first five wickets.
Rain had ruined the third day’s play, so this was obviously likely to happen. Nevertheless, Essex tried their hardest to force a victory on the last afternoon, scoring 488 and taking a 130-run lead in the first innings.
At 4.40pm, play was halted due to low light, and Durham was led by Alex Lees (48 not out) and David Bedingham (33 not out) to a 131-2 victory. Their efforts were in vain. Not long afterward, the teams clasped hands.
The highlight of the morning session was when Browne reached his first century in 22 Championship innings—since attaining the milestone against Kent in April 2023—by back-cutting Ben Raine to the boundary in the fifth over of play.
In an attempt to get rapid runs in the second session after reaching lunch on 450-6, Essex lost four wickets, including two run-outs in three balls.
After trying a third run and failing to beat Lee’s fine leg throw, Browne went out for 184. Simon Harmer then sent Harry Duke back, but Scott Borthwick’s return from midwicket was too quick.
Following his dismissals of Jamie Porter and Harmer in the same over, Parkinson finished with 5-131 from 31 overs in Essex’s 488 all out.
The fact that Borthwick played across a ball from Porter and was out for four in the third over of Durham’s second inning gave the visitors hope that they could bring the innings to an end.
Nevertheless, Lees and Colin Ackermann shared a 75-run partnership for the second wicket before Jordan Cox caught Ackermann (32) off Matt Critchley at slip.
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