Worcestershire’s bowlers toiled throughout a turgid final day at Banks Riverside Stadium against Durham, taking six wickets in Durham’s first innings, before the sides shook hands shortly after 5pm with the match petering out into an inevitable draw.
In the morning the Pears picked up a couple of Durham scalps after declaring on their overnight 591-9, to halt their quest for batting bonus points, with Tom Taylor collecting his 50th Division One scalp of the campaign in the process.
10 bowlers were used across a languid day’s cricket, with Durham fighting hard to try and cobble together as many batting points as possible, with Matthew Waite, Ben Gibbon and Jake Libby all collecting wickets on a docile surface.
Attentions now turn to Saturday’s Metro Bank One Day Cup final against Hampshire, with the only concern for Worcestershire surrounding club captain, Brett D’Oliveira, who had to leave the field after injuring his ankle.
Opener Alex Lees carved a Tom Taylor delivery through the covers to the boundary, but Taylor got Lees next ball as he was caught behind for eight, sparking celebrations as the Pears’ standout bowler of the campaign notched his 50th wicket of the Rothesay County Championship season.
The Pears were testing Durham in the early stages, but Gay relieved the pressure as he produced a great straight drive off Taylor which went for four.
Durham’s pursuit stalled as Ben McKinney then departed for 16 at the hands of Matthew Waite as he edged one to Ben Gibbon at slip.
Pears skipper Brett D’Oliveira came into the attack, but on his follow through he went over on his right ankle, which prompted concerns from the dressing room with the Metro Bank One Day Cup final honing into view, this Saturday.
Gay continued to tick along nicely and got his fifty from 71 balls, while taking his side to 100 before lunch.
Bedingham continued to attack the bowlers after the lunch interval as he clipped one on the onside for four and he played another excellent shot, this time carving a Taylor delivery through the covers for four.
Gay was almost heading back to the pavilion on 72, as he edged an Allison delivery but Gibbon couldn’t cling on to it with an outstretched hand.
Bedingham then brought up his second fifty of the season from 79 balls, but the batter went for one hit too many as Waite got him for 58 after failing to connect with a pull shot, which Ben Allison caught well on the boundary.
Gay continued to motor, now alongside Will Rhodes, and he picked up his fourth century of the season from 127 balls.
The opener continued to play fluently after reaching the milestone, picking up three boundaries in a Brookes over, and Durham reached their first batting point in the 53rd over.
Gay passed the milestone of 150 for the third time this campaign after tea and Rhodes, who has struggled for First Class runs this season, played nicely and found the boundary with a tidy glance off the legs from a Gibbon ball.
Rhodes then reached fifty for the first time in Durham whites from 72 deliveries and he picked up another boundary straight after. Gay then went for an excellent 161, his highest Durham score, as he chopped a Gibbon delivery onto his leg stump – just rewards for the left-armer who had continued to run in with vigour.
Rhodes continued Durham’s swashbuckling approach as he heaved a Dan Lategan to the boundary, but Ollie Robinson fell soon after for four as he was bowled by the part-time off spin of Jake Libby.
Rhodes continued his charge as he smashed Lategan for a six down the ground and then reached three figures for the first time this season, coming from 121 balls.
Graham Clark produced a quick 29 to speed things up, but Libby got his second of the day as he got the Durham man caught and bowled, with the game now fading to an unsurprising conclusion.
Rhodes then got his 150 and guided his side to 450, the magic number for five batting points, before the two sides shook hands just after 5pm.
Attentions now turn to Saturday for the Pears, as they prepare for the club’s biggest game in recent memory, taking on Hampshire in the One Day Cup final.
