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Durham's chances vanish

The teams were playing for the Durham Light Infantry Trophy at Chester-le-Street yesterday but the hosts' slide towards defeat came in near-darkness.

Even in the poor light, however, it was clear despite last week's win over Lancashire, Durham are yet to master the art of Twenty20 cricket.

The Riversiders restricted Yorkshire to 149 but got bogged down in their reply and were dismissed for under 100. Durham's defeat, by 51 runs with 2.4 overs remaining, leaves their Twenty20 hopes all but over.

It looked as if Richard Dawson's introduction would swing things Durham's way but it proved a false dawn.

Phil Mustard gifted the off-spinner a wicket with his second ball, paddling it lamely to short fine leg Jason Gillespie, but Gary Scott strode to the square, planted his foot down the pitch and swept the next ball for four.

Scott swept a six in Dawson's next over, a reverse sweep and a straight drive from Jimmy Maher adding to the bowler's misery as he was carted for 20 in two overs.

But after the last of those shots Dawson had his revenge, beating the slogging left-hander with turn.

Dale Benkenstein was lbw first ball and Deon Kruis would have been on a hat-trick had not Gerard Brophy dropped a simple catch off Gary Pratt.

Pratt did not make the most of his reprieve, labouring 20 balls for 12.

Tim Bresnan, perhaps ashamed by his recent England performances, wore one of Dawson's shirts and produced a mixed bag, with three wides but the wickets of Pratt, Gareth Breese and Neil Killeen.

Durham's batting was in marked contrast to their bowling, which started brilliantly and finished almost as well.

Killeen and Ottis Gibson opened with nine consecutive dot balls - an unusual feat in this form of the game which Mitch Claydon and Gillespie were later to repeat.

At 81-2 midway through the innings, and with dangerman Darren Lehmann at the crease, the Tykes had the foundation for a big score.

But they managed only two more fours and a six. Yorkshire failed to score a single boundary in their final 29 balls despite having wickets in hand.

Unlike in previous games this season, Durham's new-ball bowlers proved as miserly as their slower-paced colleagues. Australian Mick Lewis was the pick with three important wickets - Craig White, Andrew Gale and Bresnan - for 32 runs.

None of the visitors kicked on after good starts. Three Yorkshire batsmen passed 25 but their highest score was Michael Lumb's 20-ball 31.

Anthony McGrath's 28 was a case in point. The former England international smashed Graeme Bridge for six over extra cover and tried to hit another maximum from the next delivery.

Gibson looked to have misjudged it as he came off the long-off boundary but he retreated, leapt up and held on.

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