COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Riverside:
CLOSE OF PLAY DAY ONE, Durham 377-1 (Durham 4pts, Notts 0pts)
9-12 September 2009

Di Venuto hit 31 fours in his 272-ball unbeaten 219

Michael Di Venuto hit an unbeaten double century to give Durham control over Nottinghamshire and edge them closer to the County Championship.

Needing 11 points to secure a second successive title, Durham closed day one on 377-1 at the Riverside.

Di Venuto (219no) shared a county record opening stand of 314 with Kyle Coetzer (107), only broken when the Scotland international was run out.

Notts captain Chris Read dislocated his thumb and is not expected to bat.

Bilal Shafayat took over behind the stumps for the visitors, whose misery was further compounded when paceman Charlie Shreck limped off with a knee injury.

Notts' only moment of joy came when Coetzer was found short of his ground at the non-striker's end by a Mark Ealham throw after being sent back by Di Venuto.

The Australian had himself been given the benefit of the doubt from an Ealham direct hit when on 43, but gave an otherwise flawless performance, scoring 105 in the afternoon session alone.

The stand between Di Venuto and Coetzer bettered Durham's previous best Championship first-wicket stand of 202, shared by Wayne Larkins and Graeme Fowler against Warwickshire at Darlington in 1993.

And, it was just one short of the county's record stand for any wicket in four-day cricket, set by Dale Benkenstein and Ottis Gibson to stave off relegation at Headingley three years ago.

Coetzer, whose last first-class ton came two years ago, moved to his century off 215 balls with 20 fours, while Di Venuto converted his fifth hundred of the season into his second double.

When Coetzer fell, any hope Notts may have had of making further inroads was extinguished by an unbroken second-wicket stand of 63 between Di Venuto and captain Will Smith (22no).

Durham opener Kyle Coetzer told BBC Newcastle:

"We were just trying to bat as long as we could and give ourselves the best possible start.

"A big total on the board will help us push the game in the direction we want it to go.

"It nipped around a little bit with the new ball and there is definitely something there for the bowlers."

BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson reviews the day's play:

"Already Durham have four of the 11 points they need to win the County Championship.

"They have been by far the best side in four-day cricket this season and are thundering towards their second successive title in fine style.

"They have choked the cricketing life out of their nearest rivals, whose six bowlers were unable to muster a single wicket between them."

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