Durham losing their grip on one-day trophy

May 6 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

DURHAM ended a run of last-ball defeats yesterday, but they still lost – by five wickets – to Yorkshire and their chances of making this year’s Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals are in doubt before their season has really got going.

Four games into their defence of the trophy, the Riversiders have already lost more games (three) in 2008 than last season, although Scotland’s win over Lancashire gives them a glimmer of hope. But unlike their previous reverses, this one at Headingley was neither narrow nor undeserved.

Both sides opened with pinch-hitters but having seen the more orthodox Kyle Coetzer prosper with 61 for Durham, Andrew Gale produced a devastating 68 which allowed Yorkshire to cruise to victory.

Gale pulled ferociously but Durham seemed only too pleased to help, with Graham Onions in particular guilty of not pitching the ball up enough and was punished with 18 runs off the bat in one over, including a pulled six.

The Gateshead’s fast bowler’s big contribution instead came with an excellent boot-high catch running in from third man to dismiss Yorkshire’s chief slogger, Gerard Brophy, for two.

When Stephen Harmison had Gale edging to Gareth Breese for 68 the hosts were only halfway to their total but his 57-ball knock took the pressure of those who followed.

Onions removed England Test captain Michael Vaughan by pitching the ball up. A sloppy drive and Paul Collingwood’s catch at backward point did the rest but Yorkshire brought up their 100 in 105 deliveries (it took Durham a further 51).

Dale Benkenstein furiously rotated his bowlers but in a complete reverse to the way Yorkshire played at Chester-le-Street, Gale’s platform allowed them to ease to their paltry target.

Harmison caused a flutter, removing Jacques Rudolph and Adil Rashid in consecutive balls (the latter at the ribs) on his way to 3-58.

But the Tykes bat deep as Tim Bresnan showed by keeping out the hat-trick ball then hammering the Ashington Express through square for four from the first ball of his next over. A big heave by Anthony McGrath sealed Durham’s defeat with more than 14 overs remaining.

Coetzer had batted sensibly in difficult conditions, matching his career-best 61 at last season’s final as Mustard was forced to rein himself in.

The Scot came to the crease for the start of the fourth over when Michael Di Venuto was trapped lbw by a ball from Bresnan which moved in and kept low. The conditions were cloudy yet reasonably bright all day but the light rain during the warm-up left the pitch at its most helpful immediately after Yorkshire chose to bowl.

Coetzer was selective in his aggression and patient during a sticky spell in the 40s but produced perhaps the best shot of the day to lift Bresnan over his head for six three overs before pinch-hitter Mustard found the boundary. His batting was the exception rather than the rule, however, and by the time Coetzer played onto Rich Pyrah Durham were 134-5.

Ben Harmison (19) was again asked to rescue the innings along with Breese (27 not out) but once he pulled a Pyrah delivery to mid-wicket, Durham collapsed from 182-6 to 185 all out in 10 balls.