Yorkshire Cricket by David Warner

Yorkshire made a shocking start to their Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final match against Durham at Headingley today as both Anthony McGrath and skipper David Byas were dismissed before either had scored a run.

The start of the game was delayed for 55 minutes because of heavy showers which swept the ground and Durham skipper David Boon put Yorkshire in when he won the toss on what turned out to be a lively pitch.

It was the tenth occasion in 11 one-day matches this season that Byas has called incorrectly and this time it looked a bad toss to lose with the threat of further bad weather later on.

Melvyn Betts opened the bowling for Durham from the Kirkstall Lane end and the extra bounce he gained from his fifth delivery seemed to surprise McGrath who edged straight to Boon at second slip. Simon Brown shared the new ball with Betts and after bowling a wide to Byas, his second authentic delivery was also down the legside and Byas got a faint touch for wicketkeeper Martin Speight to take the catch.

Yorkshire were in all sorts of trouble at two for two in a match they were firm favourites to win and Michael Vaughan and Darren Lehmann had a big responsibilty on their shoulders in trying to stage a recovery.

Vaughan cut Brown dangerously close to point to register the first boundary and the left-arm paceman was smacked for two fours in a row by Lehmann, who lifted him high over mid-wicket and slashed him through the off-side. A third boundary followed in the same over as the Australian again drove him high over the top.

Lehmann had raced to 16 and Yorkshire were 22 for two in six overs of non-stop action which continued when Vaughan blazed Betts through the covers for four.Yorkshire had Chris Silverwood back in the side after his shin soreness which meant Yorkshire fielded the same team which beat Durham by eight wickets in the group stages of the competition at Headingley.

And Durham were happy to have Boon back after their captain missed the previous encounter because of a broken bone in his foot which has kept him out of action until today.

Heavy showers head delayed the start of the quarter-final clash with Durham at Headingley.

Yorkshire will be at least £11,000 richer if they win the match for that that is the amount of prizemoney they will then scoop if they get beaten in the semi-finals but much more is on offer if the go all the way to Lord's.

The winners of the 27th and last B&H Cup final will rake in a record £43,000 with £22,000 going to the runners-up.

If Durham gain revenge for their eight wicket caning by Yorkshire in the group stages of this year's competition, however, then Yorkshire will receive only £5,500 as losing quarter-finalists.

Yorkshire were strengthened by the return of Silverwood after the fast bowler missed almost a fortnight with shin soreness.

He reported no serious reaction after nets yesterday and he was due to share the new ball with Darren Gough.

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