Patient Maher reaps reward

Jimmy Maher © Getty Images

Jimmy Maher’s first century for Durham helped them to a first-day total of 340 for nine against Division One’s bottom club Middlesex at Chester-le-Street.

The Queensland left-hander grafted for 207 balls for his 106 in the Liverpool Victoria County Championship clash and said: “We had to be very patient.

“They bowled exceptionally well with the new ball and Chris Silverwood could have had six wickets.”

The former Yorkshire bowler had three catches put down, including Maher on four at second slip by Ed Joyce, but picked up three late wickets with the second new ball to finish with four for 85.

From 119 for one Durham had slipped to 208 for six when Maher was out but Phil Mustard and Ottis Gibson then shared an entertaining stand of 88.

Silverwood missed a sharp return chance offered by Mustard on 49 but finally removed them both, with the wicket-keeper the last to go for 78 when a ball kept low three overs before the close.

Steve Harmison’s expected return after his shin injury did not materialise as his wife Hayley went into labour overnight and presented the England paceman with his third daughter.

Harmison will now have to play in next week’s game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in order to prove his fitness for the second Test.

In glorious weather, Maher and Jon Lewis had to battle hard for the first 80 minutes and it was not until the 22nd over that Maher began to feel the benefits of his graft.

A pull off Alan Richardson flew behind square for four and he turned the next ball to the fine leg boundary.

An on-drive for four followed, forcing Middlesex to turn to the off-spin of Jamie Dalrymple with the total on 78 after 27 overs.

Lewis tried to sweep Dalrymple’s sixth ball, but it was a quicker, straight one and had him lbw.

Maher had gone from 16 to 50 in seven overs when he cut Johann Louw for his 10th four and was on 58 out of 95 at lunch.

But he had to knuckle down once wickets started to fall, two of them going to Melvyn Betts against his home county, while Gareth Breese was bowled by Dalrymple, playing for non-existent turn.

There were only six fours in Maher’s second 50, including the one he swept to fine leg off Dalrymple to reach his century.

On 106 he shaped to turn Johann Louw to leg, only for the ball to leave him off the pitch and take the edge, giving Scott a comfortable catch.