Ven leaves Tykes needing Hog SOS

10:10am Thursday 15th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Yorkshire look set to send an SOS to Matthew Hoggard after they were left reeling at the Riverside by Michael Di Venuto.

The Australian-Italian laid waste to the visitors' depleted bowling attack by batting for the entire day as Durham scored freely after winning the toss.

Di Venuto was at the crease for more than six hours and ended the day unbeaten on 184, 16 short of a magnificent double hundred. He smashed 25 fours in his knock and hit one big six, mercilessly hammering Deon Kruis over deep square.

It was just two weeks ago that Yorkshire had an embarrassment of seam and speed at their disposal, but after Morne Morkel's brief stint at Headingley ended with a hamstring tear, Ajmal Shahzad went down with the same injury and Hoggard was called away with England, leaving the tykes with only Darren Gough and Deon Kruis as recognised pacemen.

Now, Hoggard could come to Yorkshire's rescue, although he will be too late to take part in the first innings.

He hasn't been selected by England for the first Test against New Zealand, which starts today, and so will become available barring any last-minute injuries in the national side.

In his absence, Ben Sanderson was drafted in for his full Yorkshire debut while Adam Lyth also made his County Championship bow.

They combined to good effect early on as 19-year-old Sanderson came on to bowl a maiden in his first over, with Lyth ensuring that he got it by saving what looked a certain boundary with an acrobatic diving stop at short fine leg.

Sanderson finished his first spell with three maidens from his seven overs at a cost of 21, which was a rare bright spot on an otherwise frustrating day which was dominated by Di Venuto, who had failed to make double figures in each of his two other appearances against Yorkshire this season, both in the Friends Provident Trophy.

Not even Adil Rashid could do anything to stop him. The leg-spinner impressed for the England Lions against New Zealand last week, but he finished the day wicketless at the Riverside after his 18 overs went for 42 runs.

At stumps, Durham were 337-6 with Di Venuto looking to build on a 45-run overnight partnership with Paul Wiseman, who ended the day on 21.