PRO40 DIVISION ONE, Taunton:
Durham 243-8 beat Somerset 242-7 by two wickets (Durham 2pts)

Gordon Muchall hit his first 50 in one-day games for Durham this summer

Somerset's hopes of winning the Pro40 title were dashed as they were beaten by county champions Durham at Taunton with just two balls to spare.

That allowed Sussex, beaten just over half an hour earlier by Worcestershire, to retain their crown by a point.

Having opted to bat first, Somerset made 242-7, of which Zander de Bruyn and Arul Suppiah made half centuries.

But, after Phil Mustard's 49, Gordon Muchall (61) and Gareth Breese (38no) proved the Durham matchwinners.

Somerset, who add their runners-up spot to their third-place finish in the County Championship, looked to have made a useful score. But, Taunton's tracks have been too batsmen-friendly all summer.

And, once Durham openers Mustard and Ian Blackwell got the reply off to a flying start, there was always a chance that the home side might come a cropper.

Taunton old boy Blackwell bought up the 50 as early as the fifth over with a six over long on. But then wickets started to tumble.

With the score on 79, Mustard was caught at wide mid-wicket off Charl Willoughby.

Blackwell then went for 26 and Will Smith brought up the 100 in the 11th over before being caught at deep mid-wicket by Alfonso Thomas off Ben Phillips.

Phillips struck again when he bowled Kyle Coetzer and, going into the final 15 overs, Durham still needed 75 to win with five wickets remaining.

Keeping their heads amid the mounting pressure, the sixth-wicket partnership was worth 64 when Muchall drove a ball from De Bruyn straight to short mid-wicket.

The visitors then lost two more wickets before Scott Borthwick took three off the fourth ball of the final over to seal victory.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version