Topically, with the Ashes in full throng, it was a pair of Anglo-Australians who averted another Warwickshire batting implosion against northern opposition.
While it was the Newcastle-born Tim Ambrose – Newcastle, New South Wales that is – that provided the initial impetus in a fifth-wicket counter punch it was his partner Sam Hain in his final match as a teenager who left the lasting impression. Warwickshire, dismantled for 69 by Yorkshire last week, were mired at 40-4 when they were pitched together immediately after a fourth interruption of a truncated second day.
The 50-minute period before tea – when Ambrose, the former England wicketkeeper, flung the bat audaciously at any delivery of exaggerated length or width – reaped 65 runs. In all their stand was worth 98. Throughout, Hain, who turns 20 on Thursday, oozed that batsman’s gold: the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking even when under pressure.
Hain, born in Hong Kong to British parents, crossed the Ashes divide at the start of the 2013 summer when, having been fast-tracked into the Australia Under-19 team, he threw in his lot with English cricket via a long-term contract at Edgbaston. He qualifies for national selection at the end of the 2016 season.
By then, if he can maintain his current rate of progress – he surpassed Ian Bell’s record to become Warwickshire’s youngest centurion and added the double-century record during the 2014 campaign – his name should be more prominent. This mature innings of 57 against a top-class attack in testing conditions was only terminated due to a stupendously good, low-reaction catch by Keaton Jennings at a roomy short-leg position.
“People talk about second-season syndrome but teams have had plans against him and he has been able to adapt,” said Chris Woakes, who also burst onto the scene with the club as a teenager. “He has such an old head on young shoulders when he’s batting.”
When Ambrose succumbed to one of six lbws in the innings four balls later Durham had well and truly wrested the initiative once more. Chris Rushworth then returned to claim his fourth leg before – Rikki Clarke becoming his 23rd such victim in a haul of 51 that confirmed the Durham man as the most prolific bowler in the top-flight of the County Championship.
“We are definitely behind the eight ball, it did plenty today but we still have three wickets to try to get as close to them as possible, and if we can do that it’s a second-innings game, I suppose,” said Woakes, who resumes unbeaten on 12 in his first competitive appearance since the World Cup.
Earlier, after the start was delayed until noon, Rushworth wreaked havoc from the Lumley end, beginning with a trio of dismissals in his first eight balls. Having bagged 54 and 64 Division One wickets in his previous two seasons, this one could see him challenge Ottis Gibson’s club record of 80. “I feel I have improved year on year, the stats say that I have and I feel like I know my game inside out now. Touch wood it continues,” he said.
