CHRIS Schofield can look forward to a place on the England A tour of New Zealand and Bangladesh this winter after a career best performance for Lancashire against Durham yesterday.
The 20-year-old leg spinner claimed five wickets in an innings for the first time, ripping out five of the last six wickets for just eight runs in 43 balls in an amazing Durham collapse from 193-2 to 226 all out.
Schofield had already taken four wickets in an innings four times in his seven previous Championship appearances, including eight in Lancashire's victory over Glamorgan at Blackpool earlier this year.
But his delight when Gary Keedy took a steepling catch to dismiss Durham's last man Jon Wood and give him a fifth wicket, showed how much this latest landmark meant.
"You keep giving yourself targets, and now I want to get 100 wickets as quickly as possible," Schofield said - he currently has 24.
He had struggled for much of the first day as Jimmy Daley and Jon Lewis put on 144 for the first wicket, a new record opening stand for Durham against Lancashire, after David Boon won the toss and chose to bat on a good pitch. But Peter Martin, who continued his superb recent form by taking 2-27 in 20 overs, lifted Lancashire by sending back Lewis and John Morris in consecutive overs, then Andy Flintoff ended Daley's resistance and Keedy had Nick Speak well caught by Neil Fairbrother at slip for a typically wristy 34. Still, Durham were on course for a decent total at 198-4 when Schofield returned to the attack just before tea with figures of 19-4-58-0. In his first over, Paul Collingwood chopped on a top-spinner then Mark Chilton snapped up Boon off bat and pad at short leg.
Schofield switched to the Warwick Road End after the break but the result was the same as Chilton took two more sharp short leg catches to send back Nick Phillips and Neil Lilleen.
Glen Chapple briefly got in on the act by bowling Martin Speight, but Schofield switched to the Warwick Road End after the break but the result was the same as Chilton took two more sharp short leg catches to send back Nick Phillips and Neil Killeen.
Glen Chapple briefly got in on the act by bowling Martin Speight but Schofield had the last word.
"I must admit it got to the stage where I thought I would never get a wicket," added Schofield. "But after the first I knew there would be more. There was some turn in the pitch but it was the bounce that really helped me.
"Hopefully I can end the season with a bit of a flourish."
After resuming on 26-0 Lancashire moved on to 42-0.
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