Chris Rushworth

Abhishek Singh ∙ 16 May 2021

Still hasn't played a single Test: Chris Rushworth becomes leading wicket-taker for Durham in First Class history

For a man, who was forced to sell satellite dishes and attend call centre calls after not being selected in the first team of a club from whose academy he grew, to become the leading wicket-taker in its First Class history, is not just a herculean effort, but something that could be called as once in a century achievement. And this achievement has been achieved by none other than the always hardworking, rusty, but at your neck Chris Rushworth. When Rushworth claimed the wicket of Worcestershire's Jack Haynes, there were tears in his eyes, all the players in the field applauded as the man, who created history, lost in the moment of glory, re-energised himself went back to his run-up. He then came back again to help his team in going for the victory on the last day of Durham’s clash against Worcestershire at the Riverside Ground in Chester Lee Street. The 34-year-old, who made his First-Class debut in 2010 against Yorkshire, has now overtaken his former teammate Graham Onion, who even represented England in nine Tests and four ODIs. A one-club man, Rushworth took nine wickets in this game to lead Durham to their second win of the season and pushing them to equal points as Nottinghamshire who occupy the second position in the Group one table. The match was won by 258 runs by the home side. The Sunderland-born has so far picked 26 wickets this season. From the time he helped Durham survive the relegation scare in the 2012 Championship and then picked up 54 wickets to help them win their third Championship in the very next year in 2013, Rushworth has been an integral part of the set-up.