TWENTY20 CUP NORTH DIVISION, Riverside:
Durham 131-7 beat Yorkshire 90-9 by 41 runs (Durham 2pts)

Durham improved their chance of making the last eight of the Twenty20 Cup with a 41-run win over Yorkshire in a low-scoring contest at the Riverside.

After his debut half century, Australian Twenty20 specialist David Warner did not prove so effective on his second appearance, making only 19.

Opening partner Phil Mustard top scored with 26 out of the home side's 131-7.

But Yorkshire buckled, losing three men in the first three overs - two of them to run-outs - as they limped to 90-9.

Yorkshire actually needed a spirited last-wicket stand to avoid recording the lowest total in seven seasons of English Twenty20 cricket.

They were five short of Sussex's 67 against Hampshire in 2004 when Deon Kruis joined Adil Rashid and put on 23 to spare their team any further embarrassment.

A second successive win for Durham and a second defeat of the week for Yorkshire leaves both teams on eight points (along with Leicestershire) in the North Division with two games left - on a night when Lancashire effectively became the first team into the last eight without even playing.

With skipper Anthony McGrath again absent because of a whiplash injury following a car accident, his deputy Jacques Rudolph's decision to put Durham in proved flawed.

His team had to bat in fading light, although it was their nightmare start that did for them.

Yorkshire sent in Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to open, but he was run out without facing a ball when Andrew Gale set off for a suicidal run to cover, hesitated, then went again.

Mitch Claydon then banged in the first ball of the second over, achieved good lift and Gerard Brophy edged it to Mustard. And worse was to follow.

In the third over, Michael Vaughan played Neil Killeen behind square on the off side and set off for a run. Gale responded but was run out by a brilliant pick-up and throw from Warner.

Once they had slumped to 4-3, much depended on Vaughan.

The former England captain had made 16 off 19 balls when he was sixth out with the score sill only on 30, driving straight to deepish mid-off to hand Ben Harmison his third wicket.

And, from then on, the only thing left to decide was the margin of defeat, made less painful by the Tykes' last pair.

BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson gives his verdict:

"Two wins in two days have propelled Durham back into the reckoning in this competition after a lacklustre start.

"They are behind Leicestershire only on a marginal run rate now and have them and Lancashire to play. It's in their own hands.

"This was a hard match though. The wicket didn't help in front of a 5,000-plus crowd.

"It was slow and two-paced, with boundaries were few to come by.

"Just 10 fours in the Durham innings, only seven for Yorkshire and not a six in sight.

"But despite only making 131 from their 20 overs Durham put Yorkshire to the sword from the off, with a real team effort in the field.

"Ben Harmison comes in for praise with his 3-20, but Yorkshire were a mess.

"At one point they were 19-4 and looked like posting an all new low score in English Twenty20 cricket.

"As it was their 90-9 from 20 overs was a new low for them and a new low by any team against Durham."

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