By Jon Steer
June 10 2005

Ashley Noffke and Mark Davies took four wickets each on the second day of the match to dismiss Essex for just 106, still 400 runs behind. Earlier a century from Dale Benkenstein and contributions from most of the tail enders helped Durham reach 506 all out. The morning session saw Dale Benkenstein and Gareth Breese pushing towards 400 but wickets started to fall as Essex had more success that in the whole of the previous day. Breese added just three to his overnight score before being trapped lbw by Daryl Steyn. Phil Mustard hit a quick 17 before being caught off the bowling of Adams.

Benkenstein reached his first century of the season before falling to Andre Adams for 110 to leave Durham on 424-7. Good contributions from Noffke, Killeen and Turner saw Durham make it past lunch before being finally dismissed for 506.

Essex were soon in trouble as Noffke bowled Jefferson for a duck in his second over. Wickets continued to fall regularly as Essex found runs very hard to come by, especially from Noffke and Davies. Opener Cook was the only batsmen to look settled but was caught behind off the bowling of Noffke immediately after tea to leave Essex on 68-4 with Grant Flower and Bupara already back in the pavillion.

Captain James Foster added just two runs to the total before becoming Noffke's fourth wicket of the innings. Neil Killeen then joined in the fun with the wicket of Middlebrook before Mark Davies took centre stage. Davies took three wickets in quick succession as Essex slumped from 94-6 to 94-9. Killeen then finished off the Essex innings with the wicket of Andre Adamns with the total on 106.

Noffke's figures of 4-19 and Davies of 4-15 showed just how much trouble they had caused the Essex batsmen.

Essex followed on still 400 runs behind and there was still time for Mark Davies to cause even more trouble as he bowled Jefferson for 2 as Essex reached the close on 12/1. Davies' fifth wicket of the match puts him level with Steve Harmison on 27 championship wickets for the season.

Essex have an almost impossible job to do to stop Durham winning and increasing the gap at the top of division two.