Durham Playing at Outgrounds

[NorthCountryBoy]

When did Durham stop playing at the likes of Hartlepool and why? Do the lads who go reckon that's good or bad?

 

[wackyjacky]

When did Durham stop playing at the likes of Hartlepool and why? Do the lads who go reckon that's good or bad?

I think they stopped that once the Riverside opened. Prior to that and after they became a first-class county they went around the grounds but don't think they have since the Riverside opened. I never went to many of the other grounds but made a change of scenery and enjoyed it, I think they should maybe bring it back for at least a couple of games a season.

 

[The Lambton Worm]

I think they stopped that once the Riverside opened. Prior to that and after they became a first-class county they went around the grounds but don't think they have since the Riverside opened. I never went to many of the other grounds but made a change of scenery and enjoyed it, I think they should maybe bring it back for at least a couple of games a season.

They did play around the grounds after the Riverside opened. Must be about 5 years since they stopped doing it. I do know that on my visits to Darlington & Stockton neither ground was big enough. Maybe thats why they stopped doing it.

There was a rumour doing the rounds that if Sunderland CC had upgraded their ground to county standard DCCC would play there at least twice a season.

 

[eddyfinn]

unless they are going to play in the likes of Darlington & Stockton I don't see how they would get new viewers as it is just as easy to go to watch them at C-L-S. I wouldn't see the point in holding it at Ashbrooke for instance. The likes of Lancashire play at Blackpool but with the large distance between them and Old Trafford and the holiday crowds they're getting new potential customers coming in.

 

[wackyjacky]

They did play around the grounds after the Riverside opened. Must be about 5 years since they stopped doing it. I do know that on my visits to Darlington & Stockton neither ground was big enough. Maybe thats why they stopped doing it.

There was a rumour doing the rounds that if Sunderland CC had upgraded their ground to county standard DCCC would play there at least twice a season.

Never realised that, thought they'd stopped it after the Riverside, didn't know it was that recent.

 

[My Boy Harry]

unless they are going to play in the likes of Darlington & Stockton I don't see how they would get new viewers as it is just as easy to go to watch them at C-L-S. I wouldn't see the point in holding it at Ashbrooke for instance. The likes of Lancashire play at Blackpool but with the large distance between them and Old Trafford and the holiday crowds they're getting new potential customers coming in.

I'm not sure why they would want to go elsewhere. In reality there are precious few days cricket played at home as it is every year without reducing it further.

 

[safc_till_i_die]

They did play around the grounds after the Riverside opened. Must be about 5 years since they stopped doing it. I do know that on my visits to Darlington & Stockton neither ground was big enough. Maybe thats why they stopped doing it.

There was a rumour doing the rounds that if Sunderland CC had upgraded their ground to county standard DCCC would play there at least twice a season.

That was true but wasnt able to happen once the Northern Rock troubles started. They were due to play a one day game there about 4 seasons ago but the ground didn't get up to standard.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Used to enjoy a quick trip upto Feethams to watch Durham, usually would get a few of the players in the bar after the match aswell. Remember one night Boon, Collingwood and some others were in, all pleasant chaps like.

I can see why they don't bother now though. I imagine the Riverside costs so much to run given it's size, it wouldn't make any financial sense to play anywhere else regardless. It's not like Feethams or Stockton would pack out often either.

 

[Lynch Mob]

Used to enjoy a quick trip upto Feethams to watch Durham, usually would get a few of the players in the bar after the match aswell. Remember one night Boon, Collingwood and some others were in, all pleasant chaps like.

I can see why they don't bother now though. I imagine the Riverside costs so much to run given it's size, it wouldn't make any financial sense to play anywhere else regardless. It's not like Feethams or Stockton would pack out often either.

Larger counties like Surrey & Middlesex always have festival weeks at different grounds like Tunbridge Wells & Croydon, these grounds are not county standard but with a few temporary stands in place they are generally full for the whole week, the atmosphere for county championship games are generally very good. Never understand why Durham have stopped doing this as Chester le Street is not the most accessible ground to get to without a car thus stopping a fair few people who enjoy the game from attending.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Larger counties like Surrey & Middlesex always have festival weeks at different grounds like Tunbridge Wells & Croydon, these grounds are not county standard but with a few temporary stands in place they are generally full for the whole week, the atmosphere for county championship games are generally very good. Never understand why Durham have stopped doing this as Chester le Street is not the most accessible ground to get to without a car thus stopping a fair few people who enjoy the game from attending.

Middlesex and Surrey have regular international games at their grounds though which will cover for the loss of revenue from moving a couple of home games elsewhere. DCCC are lucky to get more than a solitary LOI game a year but perhaps with regular international cricket at the ground they could have the odd game at Darlington or Stockton again. The only thing with those places are that they aren't festival or holiday places like Blackpool, Scarborough or even Hastings so it's very difficult to predict if they will be filled or not.

 

[Lynch Mob]

Middlesex and Surrey have regular international games at their grounds though which will cover for the loss of revenue from moving a couple of home games elsewhere. DCCC are lucky to get more than a solitary LOI game a year but perhaps with regular international cricket at the ground they could have the odd game at Darlington or Stockton again. The only thing with those places are that they aren't festival or holiday places like Blackpool, Scarborough or even Hastings so it's very difficult to predict if they will be filled or not.

Kent play games at Tunbridge Wells and Beckenham for a week each & they have no International fixtures so that was a mute point. Essex also have games at Southend & Colchester. I think nearly every county has a Festival week at places other than their main County ground

 

[The Breen Machine]

Kent play games at Tunbridge Wells and Beckenham for a week each & they have no International fixtures so that was a mute point. Essex also have games at Southend & Colchester. I think nearly every county has a Festival week at places other than their main County ground

But could you really say Darlington and Stockton were towns with a large cricketing interest?. I think the North-East in general holds football so much more important than cricket and that could be down to the late emergence of a first-class county in the region. I very much doubt if Durham held a week of festival in Darlington, Stockton, Gateshead or even Sunderland, they would have a sell out on any one of the days. There's no massive interest with the locals and the grounds are average at best.

 

[NorthCountryBoy]

But could you really say Darlington and Stockton were towns with a large cricketing interest?. I think the North-East in general holds football so much more important than cricket and that could be down to the late emergence of a first-class county in the region. I very much doubt if Durham held a week of festival in Darlington, Stockton, Gateshead or even Sunderland, they would have a sell out on any one of the days. There's no massive interest with the locals and the grounds are average at best.

I don't see that Durham has any less cricket interest than oher places bar Yorkshire, Lancs and some of the country bumkin places in the South West. Surely the England players we've produced over the past decade is proof of that. Re playing at other places, they used to pack out Gateshead Fell for the Sunday league games until they stopped playing there in 1994.

 

[The Breen Machine]

I don't see that Durham has any less cricket interest than oher places bar Yorkshire, Lancs and some of the country bumkin places in the South West. Surely the England players we've produced over the past decade is proof of that. Re playing at other places, they used to pack out Gateshead Fell for the Sunday league games until they stopped playing there in 1994.

Yorkshire and Lancashire have always had massive interest, arguably the 2 biggest counties in the country but like all county teams, their attendances are nothing on 30 years ago. Plus, playing in holiday towns like Scarborough and Blackpool is likely to see big crowds due to sheer amount of people in those places in the summer, and also the traditional cricket festivals held there. Durham might have packed out the Fell 17 years ago but a lot of teams then had big crowds for Sunday League games. The crowds in 40 over domestic games have dropped off dramatically in recent years due to the sheer volume of cricket being played. Durham's best bet would be to hold a couple of Twenty20 games at the outgrounds but then you have the problem of losing money from not having a big crowd at the Riverside for them.

 

[stanstheman]

Larger counties like Surrey & Middlesex always have festival weeks at different grounds like Tunbridge Wells & Croydon, these grounds are not county standard but with a few temporary stands in place they are generally full for the whole week, the atmosphere for county championship games are generally very good. Never understand why Durham have stopped doing this as Chester le Street is not the most accessible ground to get to without a car thus stopping a fair few people who enjoy the game from attending.

The cost of setting up at an outground is not worth it to the club.They have to import extra facilities ,which are already on hand at the Riverside,and there is little time for the pitch to be prepared to 1st class standard.

After the 2006 game at Stockton, when there was the Elton John concert staged at Riverside and a ODI, and the pitch panel investigation ( no points deduction but a below average verdict) they were unwilling to risk further problems at outgrounds having just avoided relegation by half a point.(There was a points deduction that season but for slow run rate).

The pitch inspections at the R'side have usually resulted from wet weather immediately preceding a CC game hampering the pitch preparation but of course they have not had any adverse reports about the R'side despite
Key's very public complaint in 2008.