Joey Evison delighted with career-best five-wicket haul as Nottinghamshire dominate Durham

Joey Evison claimed career-best figures of 5-21 to put Nottinghamshire in complete command of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Durham at Emirates Riverside.
Joey Evison of Nottinghamshire - first five wicket haul.Joey Evison of Nottinghamshire - first five wicket haul.
Joey Evison of Nottinghamshire - first five wicket haul.

Nottinghamshire have now already qualified for Division One of the next round of the County Championship after collating enough bonus points to edge out Durham.

Evison orchestrated a collapse of the home side's batting order in the afternoon session with a brilliant spell of swing bowling, taking his maiden five-wicket haul in the Championship.

Evison said: “It was a great day for us as a team.

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“We're going into that top conference of the LV= Insurance County Championship. That's where we wanted to be looking at our targets for the season.

“We're looking to push for that win now. Getting the five-wicket haul is one of those things I can tick off early in my career.

“I didn't know what was going on. Getting four wickets in four overs has not happened to me before.

“It's one of those moments that you have to embrace. I'm really happy and I'm sure my family are as well.”

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The hosts folded from 73-2 to 165 all out, losing their final eight wickets for only 88 runs as Scott Borthwick top-scored with 38.

The visitors opted against using the follow-on and continued their innings with a lead of 165.

Haseeb Hameed notched his fourth half-century of the season to compound Notts' advantage, handing his team a dominant lead of 288 to take into day four.

Resuming on 312-9 after day two's washout, Nottinghamshire added 16 runs to their total from day one as Liam Patterson-White equalled his career-best of 73 before he was skittled to end the visitors' innings on 328.

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Durham were under pressure in their response from the off, losing their openers with only 13 on the board.

Broad pinned Cameron Bancroft lbw with the third ball of the innings, albeit from a generous decision from umpire Neil Pratt. The England paceman was on the money once more to remove Michael Jones, this time with a plumb lbw shout.

Borthwick and David Bedingham stemmed the tide with a partnership of fifty to take the home side into the lunch break without further damage.

However, the introduction of Evison into the attack after the interval sparked a collapse in the Durham ranks, falling from 73-2 to 86-6.

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First, he secured the wicket of Bedingham lbw for 30 to end the stand for the third wicket.

Evison then prised out Sean Dickson for a 13-ball duck, top-edging a hook into the hands of Joe Clarke before Borthwick's resistance was ended as he nicked off to Brett Hutton at second slip.

Evison's torment of the Durham order continued as Ned Eckersley was trapped in front of his stumps for a second-ball duck.

Ben Raine offered brief respite, but he handed Evison his maiden five-wicket haul picking out Lyndon James on the leg-side boundary for a routine catch.

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Durham limped their way towards a total of 165 as Matthew Potts ended unbeaten on 27 before Broad dismissed Rushworth to wrap up the innings.

Nottinghamshire took the game away from the hosts in the evening session, batting with composure led by Hameed.

The former England opener made the Durham bowlers toil in the sun late in the day.

He reached a deserved 50 before the close, clipping Rushworth to the boundary from his 100th delivery.

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Salisbury and Potts notched two wickets apiece, but the contest is firmly in the hands of the Notts heading into the final day on 125-5.

Durham's Scott Borthwick said: “Joey Evison bowled amazingly well. He got the ball swinging and he bowled some very challenging balls.

“There were a couple of soft dismissals in there, but they bowled well as a unit.

“The Notts attack was extremely good, and especially in that afternoon session. I was proud of the lads in the last 30 overs. “They kept their discipline and bowled well, we deserved those five wickets.

“It shows the fight in the dressing room and we have to come back with energy and give it a crack.”