Ben Raine has stated that Durham County Cricket Club are now genuine contenders for promotion from Division Two.
The newest of the eighteen first-class counties currently find themselves in fifth position in the second division with three promotion spots up for grabs.
Durham had started the season poorly losing their first four matches with two of those defeats coming against the two sides just above them – Derbyshire (3rd) and Sussex (4th).
However, Durham have recovered going unbeaten in their last five matches to keep themselves in the promotion hunt with five games to go.
“We’ve managed to turn ourselves round over the last few games and we now feel we are genuine contenders for promotion,” Raine said.
That belief was strengthened following a 119-run win against bottom side Leicestershire. Durham had to fight back from being bowled out for 117 on the first day and Raine recognises that his side currently have the belief that they can recover from tricky situations.
“After we were bowled out for 117 in the first innings, it was a massive turnaround, the biggest I have seen in my career.
“But that’s the way we are at the moment, full of confidence that we can win games from any position.”
Durham are also boosted by the fact that they head into their final five matches facing four of the bottom five sides in the Division.
Only 29 points currently separate third and bottom spot and with Durham in good recent form, returning to Division One for the first time since being demoted by the ECB is a real possibility.
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