Rain helps Durham deny Essex
Dual champions Durham needed plenty of backs-to-the-wall defiance, and somehelp from above, to eke out a draw against promoted Essex at the Riverside
15/04Result
County Championship Division One at Chester-le-Street, Apr 15-18 2010
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![Essex]( "Essex")
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![Durham]( "Durham")
198 & 352/7 (105 ov) (f/o)
15/04Result
County Championship Division One at Chester-le-Street, Apr 15-18 2010
-
![Essex]( "Essex")
-
![Durham]( "Durham")
198 & 352/7 (105 ov) (f/o)
Day 4
Day 3
Durham battle hard following on
Defending champions Durham found themselves following on 286 behind and needinga backs-to-the-wall effort to avoid starting their campaign with defeat againstEssex at the Riverside
Day 2
Jaik Mickleburgh and James Foster post record stand
Liam Plunkett inspired a Durham fightback at the Riverside - but by stumps on the second day a safe draw was surely still the limit of the dual champions' realistic ambitions against Essex
Day 1
Jaik Mickleburgh holds up defending champions
Durham's first day in pursuit of a third successive County Championship title did not go precisely to plan as Jaik Mickleburgh's courageous maiden first-class century built a commanding position for Essex at the Riverside