Categories: Cricket

The Spin | England reap rewards of Durham’s dedication to fast-bowling excellence

The county’s men flourished in Division One this summer – and these are exciting times for the women’s team too

Chester-le-Street and Multan are not immediate bedfellows. One sits happily in its anorak in the north-east of England, relatively chilly, relatively steady, 10 miles from the North Sea. The other nestles in the southern part of Punjab, with a semi-arid climate, fierce swings of seasonal temperatures – currently hovering in the high 30s – and surrounded by mango farms.

But for the second Test against Pakistan, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum cocked an eyebrow at the alien conditions, and the six-day Multan pitch, and plumped for an all-Durham seam attack – for the first time in English cricket history. Stokes was joined by Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse, with the spin contingent provided by another great non-Hundred county – Somerset – in Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach.

This is an extract from the Guardian’s weekly cricket email, The Spin. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

Source: Cricket - The Guardian

WBN