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Durham ready for must win game

The Dynamos and Scorpions both desperately need to win tonight's Twenty20 Cup northern group match.

Durham Dynamos and Derbyshire Scorpions both desperately need to win tonight's Twenty20 Cup northern group match at the Riverside to retain hopes of reaching the quarter-final knockout stage.

Both have won one and lost two of their five qualifying games but with only two points separating top from bottom, there is still all to play for.

"The group is still wide open," said Dynamos captain Jon Lewis.

"The aim is to win our last two home games and if we do that we'll be through, though we'll have to improve on last week's disappointing performance against Lancashire."

Durham stumbled to a paltry 111-8 from their 20 overs after the Lightning's three-pronged spin attack applied the brakes in devastating fashion.

The Riversiders unbelievably failed to hit a boundary in their last 14 overs and went down to a five-wicket defeat against a more experienced Lancashire outfit.

It was the Dynamos' lowest score in their eight games since the Twenty20 Cup was introduced last year and Lewis knows they can't afford a repeat tonight.

"The wicket was slow and we haven't been able to field our strongest side yet," he said, "but you can't use that as an excuse.

"We didn't play as well as we could have and we need to get back to the standards we displayed in the big win over the Leicestershire Foxes at Grace Road."

Durham, again without England stars Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood tonight along with batsman Nicky Peng, may have to rely on the same line-up against the Scorpions.

Australian Marcus North, however, will return - probably at the expense of young all-rounder Ian Pattison - if he passes a fitness test on his groin. If former Gateshead Fell pro North again misses out then Durham, who lack genuine big hitters, will go in with nine locally-produced players, Lewis and West Indian Gareth Breese being the only two "outsiders."

One Tynesider desperate to return is former England Under-19 batsman Nicky Peng, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.

The hard-hitting Peng opens the Dynamos batting in one-day cricket and is hoping his team-mates can win their last two games to reach the last eight.

"I really enjoyed Twenty20 cricket last summer," said Peng. "It was a totally different game in front of big crowds and it's disappointing to have missed out this year.

"But I'm easing my way back with a game for the A team this week and I'll be available for next month's quarter-finals if we get there."

Derbyshire, meanwhile, lost their opening two Northern Group games but gave themselves a lifeline with a shock nine-run victory over leaders Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge last week.

While the Lancashire and Yorkshire Twenty20 Cup games were sold out in advance, a limited number of tickets are still available on the gate from 4pm on a first-come first-served basis.

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