Durham overcome floodlight farce to claim last-eight spot

9:08am Thursday 26th June 2008

Derbyshire v Durham (Twenty20 Cup)

FOR the second time this season Durham were last night caught up in a floodlit farce at Derby before emerging victorious to clinch their place in the Twenty20 quarter-finals.

After losing by one run when their innings was twice interrupted by a low sun in the Friends Provident Trophy tie on May 2, they gained revenge with a seven-wicket win completed at 10.40.

Skipper Dale Benkenstein led them home with an unbeaten 47 after going in at four for two. He shared an unbroken stand of 93 with Albie Morkel, who brought up his half-century with a huge six over long-on off left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi.

That finished the match with 16 balls to spare and Durham will go into their final group game at home to Lancashire tomorrow two points ahead of the visitors.

If Lancashire win top spot will be decided on run-rate, while a Durham win could open the door for Yorkshire to sneak second.

Derbyshire were 38 for one after eight overs when play was suspended because the batsmen were blinded by the sun.

With the rules permitting an hour's extension, after an 85- minute break it was announced that the match would be reduced to 18 overs a side.

Derbyshire finished on 118 for six and under the Duckworth/Lewis formula Durham needed 121 to win when they started their innings at 9.45.

They made a dreadful start as both openers were out for nought to Derbyshire's left-arm swingers. Michael Di Venuto fell third ball, chipping Kevin Dean to mid-off, then Phil Mustard cut Graham Wagg to backward point, where Greg Smith held a juggled catch.

Will Smith made a sprightly 19 before miscuing Dean to longon, bringing in Morkel in need of making a contribution.

He has not bowled this week because of a back problem, and after dropping a straightforward catch at third man last night he let a four through his legs off the last ball of the innings.

As usual, he began quietly and when only three came off the first over bowled by off-spinner Jake Needham Durham were 66 for three after ten overs.

But Benkenstein's short-arm pulls whipped Rikki Clarke in front of square for two fours and once Needham's second over had yielded 11 runs the fourth-wicket pair were coasting.

With ten overs to bat after the delay, Derbyshire added 15 off the first three before Durham brought on 18-year-old leg-spinner Scott Borthwick, who returned to the side in place of Garry Park.

His only over since his dream debut at Old Trafford had cost 15 against Leicestershire and this one went for 17, all scored by home captain Clarke, who hit a massive six over long-on.

In the next over Gareth Breese bowled West Indian left-hander Wavell Hinds. But with Benkenstein reluctant to risk another over from Borthwick and only three bowlers allowed a full fourover allocation the captain turned to Ben Harmison.

Left-hander Dan Birch pulled and drove the first three balls for four as 15 came off the over, but Harmison junior was kept on and conceded only six off the second over while also having Clarke caught at deep cover for 36.

In the final over Birch swung across the line and was bowled by for 23 by Liam Plunkett, who also rearranged Jamie Pipe's timber two balls later.

Benkenstein won the toss for only the second time in the series and put Derbyshire in, no doubt wary of the sun.

Whether or not it was affecting Greg Smith from the outset is unknown, but the man who began the series in blistering form had scored only 13 in eight overs when the break came.

The South African thrashed a rapid 47 in the opening match at Riverside and followed up with a century against Yorkshire.

Smith had another very close shave in the third over last night, when he failed to get forward to a straight ball from Shaun Pollock but survived the lbw appeal.

The South African struck in his third over, however. After being baffled by a variety of balls which even included a slow bouncer Telo drove at the last one, an away swinger, and edged to Mustard.

Steve Harmison and Breese bowled an over each before the break and on the resumption Smith attempted to sweep the fourth ball and was lbw to Breese, who had two for 15 in three overs.

SCORBOARD

Derbyshire v Durham At Derby

Derbyshire Innings

G M Smith lbw b Breese .......................... 13

F D Telo c Mustard b Pollock .................... 16

W W Hinds b Breese .............................. 15

R Clarke c Plunkett b B W Harmison ...... 36

D J Birch b Plunkett ................................ 23

D J Pipe b Plunkett .................................. 2

G G Wagg not out .................................. 1

J L Clare not out .................................... 4

Extras (lb3 w5 pens 0) .................... 8

Total 6 wkts Innings Complete (18 overs) ......................................118

Fall: 1-25 2-40 3-72 4-105 5-113 6-114 Did Not Bat: K J Dean, J Needham, N D Doshi.

Bowling: Pollock 4-0-20-1. Plunkett 4-0-18-2.

Breese 3-0-15-2. S J Harmison 4-0-24-0. Borthwick 1-0-17-0. B W Harmison 2-0-21-1.

Durham Innings

M J Di Venuto c Wagg b Dean .................. 0

P Mustard c Smith b Wagg ...................... 0

W R Smith c Wagg b Dean ........................ 19

D M Benkenstein not out ........................ 47

J A Morkel not out .................................. 54

Extras (w4 pens 0) .......................... 4

Total 3 wkts (15.2 overs) ..............124

Fall: 1-0 2-4 3-31

Did Not Bat: S M Pollock, B W Harmison, G R Breese, L E Plunkett, S G Borthwick, S J Harmison.

Bowling: Dean 3-0-22-2. Wagg 2-0-15-1. Doshi 3.2-0-24-0. Hinds 1-0-11-0. Clarke 2-0-15-0.

Needham 2-0-14-0. Clare 2-0-23-0.

Durham beat Derbyshire by 7 wkts.

(D/L Method)

Eating Out