Nottinghamshire’s final away game in this season's LV= County Championship takes them to the north east to face Durham at the Emirates ICG at Chester-le-Street.

After picking up nine points from their drawn contest against Middlesex at Lord’s, Notts are now seventh in the first division table, twelve points clear of Derbyshire, with a game in hand.

Looking upwards, Notts are only 4 points behind Somerset, who have also played a match more.

The fixture could have even greater significance for Durham, who top the table by 27.5 points and could secure the title this week if they equal or better the result of second-placed Yorkshire.

You Need to Know

The start time on each of the four days has been brought forward to 10.15am. This has kindly been agreed by Durham CCC to enable the match to finish one hour earlier on the fourth day with the Notts team having booked a flight to London ahead of the YB40 Final.

Head to head

Since Durham joined the county championship in 1992 they have played 27 fixtures against Nottinghamshire, winning 9, losing 9 and drawing 8, with the 2008 clash in the north east being abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Following Durham’s elevation to the first class ranks Nottinghamshire have enjoyed mixed fortunes on their previous first class visits to the north-east.

In all they have played thirteen championship fixtures away against Durham, although only twelve of them have featured any cricket. The 2008 encounter was completely washed out with not a single ball bowled on any of the four days.

Of the other fixtures, Durham have won 5, Notts have also been victorious in 5, with two games ending in draws.

Last Meeting

Last season’s meeting in the north east was played in early April, in bitterly cold conditions.

Nottinghamshire bossed the contest, after securing a first innings advantage of 32 runs. Second time around, Michael Lumb scored his first century for the county as they ran up a total of 335 all out.

Despite a last wicket stand of 73 between Mitchell Claydon and Graham Onions, the visitors were celebrating a 114-run success by lunch-time on the fourth day.

History

The first match in the series of fixtures was played in 1993 at the Ropery Lane ground in Chester-le-Street and Nottinghamshire helped themselves to a huge victory inside three days. The winning margin of an innings and 157 runs was largely due to an astonishing turn-around with the bat.

Having been 4 for two early on, the visitors recovered to post 629, thanks to 130 from Paul Johnson and a career-best innings from Chris Lewis, who made a mammoth 247 and wicket-keeper Bruce French who posted 123. Together they added 301 for the 7th wicket, a county record that still stands.

Two years later, in the first meeting at the Riverside, it was the hosts who came out on top, with John Morris – later to join the Trent Bridge staff – hitting the only century of the contest. 

A drawn match at Hartlepool in 1997 was ruined by the weather but since then all the other nine meetings have been played at the Chester-le-Street ground, now a Test match venue in its own right.

Tons from Paul Collingwood and Jonathan Lewis were the foundation for the home team’s success in 1999.
Lewis proved to be a thorn in the Nottinghamshire side when he did it again two years later. His score of 112, plus 149 from Martin Love, chased down a target of 318 on the last day to secure another win, after Paul Johnson and Greg Blewett had reached three figures for the guests. Steve Harmison took 5-100 in Notts first innings.

Notts win in 2002 was built around a century from Usman Afzaal and they won again in 2004 with Russell Warren scoring a hundred after Charlie Shreck had taken 6-46 with the ball.

In 2009 Durham amassed a colossal total of 648-5 declared in their first innings. Michael Di Venuto and Kyle Coetzer combined with 314 for the first wicket. Di Venuto eventually fell for 219, Coetzer made 109 and there were also 100’s for Dale Benkenstein and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Notts were made to follow on after Liam Plunkett took 6-85 and eventually succumbed to an innings defeat.

Two years ago, unusually, Nottinghamshire opened their innings at Durham with two first class debutants. Handicapped by England Lions call-ups for both Alex Hales and Samit Patel, they gave opportunities to both Karl Turner and Sam Kelsall.  

Played For Them Both

Six cricketers have played in first class matches for both Nottinghamshire and Durham. The first to do so was wicketkeeper Chris Scott, who played 63 times for Notts between 1981-1991, then moved north to join Durham for their debut season in the county championship.

Others to have represented the two counties include: Mark Saxelby, Nathan Astle, John Morris, Will Smith and Mark Davies.

Stats

Nottinghamshire’s 629, scored at Ropery Lane in 1993 is their highest team score against Durham.

In 2009, Durham posted 648 for five declared at their current headquarters.

Chris Lewis’ 247 is the highest individual score by a Notts batsman, with Michael di Venuto’s 219 the best for the north east county.

The best bowling figures for each side in Durham have been, Charlie Shreck’s 6-46 for Notts and Liam Plunkett’s 6-85 for the home side, although last season Graham Onions took 9-67 at Trent Bridge.

Milestones

Both Samit Patel and James Taylor have now passed 1,000 first class runs for the season for Notts, with both now hoping to achieve the feat in the championship. Taylor has scored 852 runs and Patel 781.

Michael Lumb has scored 874 in the first division and 957 in all first class matches.

Durham’s Scott Borthwick has scored 956 in the championship.

Graham Onions has taken 60 championship wickets, one fewer than Sussex’s Steve Magoffin, whilst Luke Fletcher has the most by a Notts’ bowler, 39.

David Hussey has registered 12,989 first class runs in his career, Harry Gurney has taken 92 wickets and Chris Read has claimed 747 catches for Notts.

Team News

Nottinghamshire will be taking a full strength squad to Chester-le-Street, including players who will be having white ball practice ahead of the Yorkshire Bank 40 final next Saturday.

Mick Newell’s only fitness doubt is David Hussey, after the Australian had stitches put into a hand wound, sustained on the final day of the Middlesex match.

Tickets

For all match day information access the Durham CCC official website www.durhamccc.co.uk

Match day prices are £12 Adults and £5 Juniors (if booked in advance) or £15 Adults and £5 Juniors if purchased On The Day.

Coverage

BBC Radio Nottingham will be providing on-line ball-by-ball coverage, access via the link on the BBC Sport website.