A change of captaincy reinvigorated Durham last season but another transitional campaign awaits a squad still reliant on old stagers
George Dobell27-Mar-2013Last year 6th, CC Div 1; Group stage, FLt20; 5th in Group B, CB40.2012 in a nutshell It could have been much worse. By July 21, Durham were bottom of the table without a win in their first 10 games and relegation favourites. But the appointment of Paul Collingwood as captain in place of Phil Mustard was the catalyst to a recovery that saw them win four Championship matches in succession and pull themselves out of trouble. It had become apparent, however, that Durham were a county in transition. Several highly paid players of international experience – the likes of Ian Blackwell, Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett – were unable to command a place and the team remained uncomfortably reliant for runs upon the veterans Collingwood and Dale Benkenstein. The fact that no-one averaged more than Collingwood’s 33.19 in the Championship underlined the difficulty of batting on seamer-friendly pitches, but the excellence of Graham Onions and the emergence of Chris Rushworth ensured they had the weapons to take advantage. They started well in the CB40 before fading and, despite a respectable FLt20 campaign, were unable to progress to the quarter-finals.2013 prospects With a powerful bowling attack and several experienced batsmen, Durham proved towards the end of the 2012 season that they could remain a force in Division One. The age profile of the team is a concern, however, with Benkenstein, Collingwood, Harmison and Callum Thorp all firmly in the ‘veteran’ category and some of the younger players struggling to fill the void. While Ben Stokes, in particular, Rushworth and Michael Richardson offer hope for the future, Durham’s hopes of rebuilding may well be handicapped by financial constraints. A need to cut costs is liable to rule out big-name overseas players or transfers from other counties for the foreseeable future, while this season could be the last for two or three more senior players.Key player Onions – who claimed 64 Championship wickets at a bowling average of 14.98 – exploited the seam-friendly conditions expertly in 2012 and did more than anyone to ensure that Durham remained in the top division. While a little of the pace he had pre-injury may have gone, he remains a fine bowler given any help from the conditions. If he remains fit and is not required by England, he should finish among the top wicket-takers in the country once again.Bright young thing Stokes is a cricketer of exceptional ability. A hard-hitting batsman, decent seamer and very fine fielder, he could well develop into the allrounder the England side have needed for so long. Being sent home from the Lions tour will have done his international prospects little good but, aged 21, Stokes has time on his side and a talent that is hard to ignore.Captain/coach Collingwood made an immediate impression as captain in 2012. Instilling a determination that slipped away, he will demand higher standards of fitness and preparation than had been the case for a while. The head coach, Geoff Cook, has overseen the best days in the club’s history but whether, aged 61, he retains the appetite to rebuild the team remains to be seen.ESPNcricinfo verdict Durham are team in transition but cultural change, particularly with regard to fitness, could be more important than the turnover in personnel.
