Following his first-class high score for Nottinghamshire of 164 not out, Ben Slater spoke of his delight with how the Green and Golds’ LV=County Championship clash with Durham stands at the halfway point.
Having bowled the hosts out for 230 on the first day, Peter Moores’ visitors enjoyed a thoroughly dominant Day Two with the bat, posting 371/3 at the close.
Much of that was down to Slater and first-time centurion Lyndon James (105*), who both ended the day unbeaten and posted an as-yet unbroken partnership of 216 for the fourth wicket.
“Today was a perfect day,” said Slater. “For us to bat all day and have a lead… well, it couldn’t have gone any better for us really in terms of how it’s set the game up.”
“Hopefully, we can push on tomorrow, get a few more, and put them under pressure.”
There was certainly pressure in abundance heaped upon Durham on Day Two at the Riverside, with the colossal double-century partnership between Slater and James being preceded by one for the second wicket between the former and Ben Duckett worth 93.
Slater believes firmly in the importance of a strong partnership, and underlines how much confidence they can permeate throughout the batting order.
“It’s the fact that you take the time to get the new batter in and that in itself puts the opposition under pressure,” the Chesterfield-born man explained.
“As soon as someone comes in, there’s a big emphasis on getting them in, maybe looking to post a small stand, before kicking on to get the really big partnerships.”
Notts were aided in their task of posting those partnerships and building a lead on Day Two by a pitch which appears to be flattening out, though there is a little uneven bounce on show.
Slater is fond of the pitch as a batting surface, but takes heart from its potentially temperamental nature as the Green and Golds look ahead to their next mission of bowling Durham out again.
“It’s nice to bat on, but it is a bit of a weird wicket,” he chuckled. “I think there’s a ball probably in there somewhere, but it might take a while for it to come out.”
“It’s showing a little bit of uneven bounce, a little bit of two-pace, but it was nice to bat on overall. They bowled well in spells, so it was a case of getting through those spells and making the ball soft.”
Once those spells had been safely negotiated, there was time in the final trappings of the day for Academy graduate James to mark the day with his maiden first-class hundred.
Slater expressed his delight for his batting partner, and admired the all-rounder’s patience in waiting for his first century.
“I’m buzzing for him, and to be at the other end for that was special. He’s played really well for us since he’s come into the side, and he probably should have had [a century] by now!”
“He’s played some crucial knocks for us in that time without the reward of a hundred, so to see him get that, I’m over the moon for him."
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