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Di Venuto finds form for Durham

category: Cricket

14.05.2008 21:52

An unbeaten 184 from opener Michael Di Venuto put Durham in a strong position against Yorkshire at the Riverside.

The Durham captain hit 25 fours and a six as the depleted Tykes were made to work hard on the opening day.

But no other batsman reached 30 as Tim Bresnan (3-51) and Anthony McGrath (2-28) chipped away at the Durham middle order.

Matthew Hoggard will link up with Yorkshire on Thursday once he is released from the England Test squad.

His arrival will give Yorkshire the boost they need after giving 19-year-old Sheffield-born seamer Ben Sanderson his debut with Morne Morkel and Ajmal Shahzad both injured.

Sanderson, who was nominated as the man to stand down once Hoggard arrives, bowled well enough in his first spell, but was punished by Di Venuto in the afternoon, conceding 32 off five overs.

Bresnan continued his good start with three wickets, all to edged catches, although the last one resulted from a rush of blood by Ben Harmison.

The left-hander had battled for 19 overs to make 21 when he went for a hook eight overs before the close and gave Gerard Brophy his third catch.

Di Venuto scored 89 in the afternoon but was becalmed after tea following the loss of Dale Benkenstein and Phil Mustard in McGrath's first three overs.

Benkenstein reached the day's second highest score of 29, only to pull the fourth ball after tea straight to wide mid-on.

Then Mustard drove at an away-swinger well wide of off stump and edged to Brophy.

Di Venuto was initially matched by Mark Stoneman in an opening stand of 96, but the youngster lost momentum and edged Bresnan to third slip.

Kyle Coetzer took 36 balls to get off the mark courtesy of a misfield by the bowler, Darren Gough. But the Scot lasted only five more balls before edging Bresnan to second slip.

Neil McKenzie, pushing forward, edged a good one from Gough to Brophy before Benkenstein helped Di Venuto put on 98.

Deon Kruis saw Paul Wiseman survive a sharp chance to Bresnan at third slip on two before the New Zealander put him away for two boundaries to remain unbeaten on 21.

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