YORKSHIRE V DURHAM

Durham won the toss and chose to bat. Yorkshire got an early wicket when the dangerous Di Venuto was run out by a direct hit from Pyrah for 8. Gough and Gillespie bowled good opening spells but the in form Smith and Mustard took the score to 49 before Kruis dismissed Smith. Mustard played some fine shots and kept the score board ticking over swiftly. Kruis and Bresnan proved to be expensive and it was left to Younus Khan's left arm spin to get Yorkshire back into the game. He dismissed Collingwood and then bowled Mustard for 77 (94 balls, 10 fours & a six). Durham stood at 141 for 4 but New Zealand International Scott Styris was in the process of playing a decisive innings. Pyrah got Benkenstein for 22 and Gough sent back Coetzer for 2 but Styris was playing shots all round the wicket. Breese made 18 from 16 balls but the honours belonged to Styris who fell to Gough with the last ball of the innings 98 (85 balls, 8 fours and 2 sixes). Durham closed on 266 for 8. Darren Gough 3 for 46, there were good spells from Pyrah, Younus Khan and Gillespie (who was not bowled out). Kruis went for over six and over and Bresnan over nine an over.

When Yorkshire batted once again it was Ottis Gibson who proved to be the thorn in their side and his opening spell all but clinched the game for Durham. He sent back Rudolph, White and Vaughan to reduce Yorkshire to 25 for 3. Younus Khan made 20 and Richard Pyrah 15 but it was only when Tim Bresnan joined Anthony McGrath that Yorkshire put together a partnership of substance. McGrath, continuing his excellent limited over form was playing spendidly but received little support until Bresnan weighed in with 33 (43 balls) in a partnership of 73. McGrath went through to a brilliant 100 before being 8th out for that score (102 balls, 10 fours & 2 sixes). Yorkshire's lower order were blown away and they were all out for 213 in the 46 over, a Durham win by 53 runs. Gibson took 3 for 48 and Collingwood 2 for 17.