MATCH REPORT

Yorkshire Cricket by David Warner

Yorkshire roared into the semi-finals of the Benson and Hedges Cup when they overpowered Durham by 102 runs with 11 overs to spare at Headingley yesterday after they had been put firmly in control by a magical 119 from Darren Lehmann.

This was the Australian's seventh century since joining Yorkshire at the start of last season but, amazingly, his first in a home match and the crowd roared their approval at his versatility and cheeky strokeplay.

Lehmann and Michael Vaughan came to the rescue after Anthony McGrath and David Byas had both been dismissed without scoring and the third wicket pair rattled up a record stand of 184 in 39 overs to hurry Yorkshire towards a formidable score of 269 for five.

Durham made a brave start to their reply but at 61 for two in the 14th over they surprisingly turned down an offer to come off for bad light and the innings quickly went downhill from that point.

Perhaps Durham were over-eager to get the game finished in the day in order to drive home last night after being on the road for ten days and they were also without a hotel booking in Leeds last night.

Yorkshire went into the game as clear favourites but soon suffered a couple of blows as they first lost the toss and then McGrath and Byas in the opening two overs from Melvyn Betts and Simon Brown.

McGrath edged a good ball from Betts to David Boon at second slip and Byas tickled one down the legside from Brown who completed his ten over spell before breaking down with a recurrence of a knee injury which is now likely to keep him out for several weeks.

Vaughan and Lehmann seemed unworried by the crisis situation as they assumed control with some marvellous shots, Lehmann three times in one over finding the boundary against Brown, but he enjoyed what became a costly escape on 36 when he cut Michael Foster hard to backward point where the ball was spilled by Paul Collingwood.

Lehmann, who toyed with the Durham bowling and did pretty much as he pleased, went to his 50 with a reverse sweep which also raised the century partnership and the reliable Vaughan completed his half-century with a cut off Betts for four.

The stand moved swiftly past Yorkshire's previous B&H best for the third wicket of 146 between Geoff Boycott and Kevin Sharp at Bradford Park Avenue in 1984 and it ended on 184 when Vaughan was bowled round his legs sweeping at the off-spin of Nicky Phillips for 70 from 124 balls with five fours.

Just before Lehmann tapped a single to go to his century, Craig White drove Collingwood over long off for six but was then smartly stumped off the bowler and at 229 Lehmann tried one audacious shot too many.

His sweep outside off-stump at Phillips was splendidly caught diving to his right by wicketkeeper Martin Speight, Lehmann having plundered 13 fours and faced 133 balls.

Yorkshire were sure of a healthy total as Bradley Parker and Richard Blakey thrashed 40 together off the last 20 balls, Blakey's unbeaten 26 coming from only 14 balls with one four and a six, and Parker receiving 11 deliveries for his 18 with two fours and a six.

Durham were on the lookout for runs from the start but at 19 in the fifth over, Jon Lewis received a vicious ball from Chris Silverwood which flew off his glove to White at first slip.

Another splendid catch by White brought Paul Hutchison Nick Speak's wicket but Stewart Hutton aggressively pulled White for six and with Boon also looking solid, Durham were certainly not out of the game.

But the gloom deepened and Boon would have been quite justified in halting the innings which began to crumble when Hutton was caught behind off Hamilton for 38 and Boon flat batted the same bowler to Darren Gough at mid-off.

Gough returned for a second spell to trap Speight lbw with his first ball and Foster was bowled attempting an ungainly shot at Vaughan.

Yorkshire were so much in command that they were able to risk some of Lehmann's left-arm spin and it was entirely appropriate that he should capture the last two wickets, Brown not coming in because of injury.

SCOREBOARD Benson and Hedges Cup Quarter-final Yorkshire v Durham at Headingley

Yorkshire Innings

McGrath c Boon b Betts 0

Vaughan b Phillips 70

Byas c Speight b Brown 0

Lehmann c Speight b Betts 119

White st Speight b Phillips 13

Parker not out 18Blakey not out 26

Extras b1 lb7 w11 nb4 23

Total 5 wkts Innings Complete (50 overs) 269

Fall: 1-0 2-2 3-186 4-210 5-229

Did Not Bat: D Gough, G M Hamilton, C E W Silverwood, P M Hutchison.

Bowling: Betts 10-3-44-2 Brown 10-2-28-1 Wood 9-1-62-0 Foster 8-0-51-0 Phillips 10-0-47-2 Collingwood 3-0-29-0

Durham Innings

Lewis c White b Silverwood 12

Hutton c Blakey b Hamilton 38

Speak c White b Hutchison 14

Boon c Gough b Hamilton 14

Collingwood c Silverwood b Lehmann 39

Speight lbw b Gough 11

Foster b Vaughan 2

Phillips b Gough 13

Betts c White b Lehmann 0

Brown absent 0

Wood not out 10

Extras lb10 w2 nb2 14

Total (39 overs) 167

Fall: 1-19 2-47 3-88 4-91 5-109 6-112 7-137 8-138 9-167

Bowling: Silverwood 6-0-23-1 Gough 9-0-38-2 Hutchison 4-1-8-1 White 6-1-20-0 Hamilton 6-1-17-2 Vaughan 4-0-24-1 Lehmann 4-0-27-2 Yorkshire beat Durham by 102 runs Umpires: J H Harris and M J Harris

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