Derbyshire’s opening Royal London One-Day Cup fixture of the season sees the team travel to Chester-le-Street to take on Durham in the group stage of the competition.
Heritage Officer, David Griffin, looks at the statistical background to the game.
This will be Derbyshire’s 983rd scheduled List A match and the two counties have met on 36 previous occasions as first-class sides, with one additional encounter – their first – in the NatWest Trophy in 1985 when Durham was a minor county.
That game saw Durham triumph by seven wickets as former Derbyshire opening batsman, John Lister, came back to haunt his former side against a strong bowling attack which included Michael Holding, Ole Mortensen and Geoff Miller.
The overall record sees Durham slightly ahead with 21 wins to Derbyshire’s 15, with one abandonment, and this will be Derbyshire’s 15th List A match at Chester-le-Street where they will be looking to improve on their record of three wins.
Derbyshire’s highest total against Durham is 281-9 at Jesmond in the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1992 when John Morris scored a superb 121 from 118 balls, before Dominic Cork’s 4-39 ensured an 80-run victory for Derbyshire.
Two years later, at Feethams, Darlington, Cork was again amongst the wickets, taking 5-43, before Derbyshire reached their 280-run victory total thanks to an unbeaten 74 from Mohammad Azharuddin.
Four other Derbyshire players have recorded centuries against Durham – in addition to the one by Morris; Chris Adams made 100 not out at Chesterfield in 1996; Matt Cassar made a memorable 126 at Derby in 2000; Chris Taylor scored 111 not out at Derby in 2006; and in 2016 Ben Slater scored a fine 119 at Derby to set up a seven-wicket win – Derbyshire’s most recent win in this form of the game.
Just two Derbyshire bowlers have taken 5 wickets in an innings against Durham – Cork’s aforementioned 5-43, and Rob Bailey 5-45 at Chester-le-Street in 2000.
Supporters can save 20% by purchasing their Royal London One-Day Cup matchday tickets in advance of the day of the game. Buy online, over the phone by calling 01332 388 101 or in person at The 3aaa County Ground.
