Durham have achieved their first win of the season after defeating Worcestershire by 185 runs, with a day to spare. The Vitality County Championship encounter at Kidderminster saw Worcestershire set a challenging target of 458.
Any realistic hopes of victory were broken by Paul Coughlin's initial three-wicket burst. Matthew Potts was instrumental in capitalising on the advantage, with half the side dismissed for 121 in only 28 overs. Despite late resistance from Nathan Smith and Matthew Waite, the contest had effectively been decided.
Durham emerged as the clear victors in the contest between last season's two promoted sides. Their formidable attack of Ben Raine, Potts and Coughlin demonstrated their prowess throughout, despite the initial setback of a washed-out opening game versus Hampshire. The team then faced a challenging Kookaburra ball at Edgbaston, which proved to be a batters' paradise.
For Worcestershire, the match served as a wake-up call after their impressive performances in the opening two games against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. The opposition's bowling lacked the same sustained accuracy as their own, and only Jake Libby, Smith and Waite demonstrated any consistency in their batting.
Durham resumed on 319-5, and Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark plundered 78 off 13 overs to set up the declaration after 50 minutes of play. Robinson achieved a second half-century in consecutive innings, this time by pulling and driving Adam Finch for four consecutive fours in 65 balls.
Clark reached the same milestone from 91 balls, at which point Captain Scott Borthwick declared to leave the home team with an hour's batting before lunch. The fourth wicket partnership was worth an unbroken 132 in 28.1 overs.
Worcestershire openers Gareth Roderick and Libby began the match in a confident manner, but then two wickets fell in two consecutive balls in the final over before lunch. Roderick was bowled off the inside edge by Coughlin. This was followed by Worcestershire Club Captain, Brett D'Oliveira, hitting the next delivery straight to midwicket, resulting in the end of a partnership.
Rob Jones displayed positive intent from the outset, striking spinner Callum Parkinson for a six, which was a significant hit. The new Worcestershire signing made a direct hit for four runs off the same bowler, thus reaching the 100 mark in only 20.2 overs.
He proceeded to score 39 runs off 23 balls, but then provided Coughlin with a third wicket when caught at backward point. Potts replaced Coughlin – having completed a spell of 6-3-14-3 – and struck immediately when Adam Hose advanced forward, resulting in a plumb lbw. The procession of wickets continued with the dismissal of Jason Holder (4) caught at the gate by Potts and Adam Hose bowled lbw.
Libby completed an 87-ball fifty but the next delivery ended his determined knock. He tried to pull against the turn from Raine but only succeeded in lobbing up a gentle catch to midwicket.
Worcestershire were 135-6 at the halfway stage but a stand of 103 in 30 overs between Smith and Waite, a new record for the County's seventh wicket against Durham, brought about some resistance. This surpassed a previous record set by Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox at New Road five years ago.
Smith made 50 from 87 balls before advancing to Raine, who dismissed him, and after Josh Baker was caught behind while cutting at spinner Callum Parkinson, Waite scored 50 from 110 deliveries. Waite (62) was eventually bowled down the leg side, and Parkinson accounted for Adam Finch to conclude the match.