Cricket / Round-Up: Crawley in dead-ball dispute

WORCESTERSHIRE gained their place in the NatWest Trophy quarter-finals following a dispute over the dismissal of the Nottinghamshire batsman Mark Crawley at New Road yesterday.

Crawley, believing the ball was dead, was standing out of his ground at the non-strikers' end when Steve Rhodes, the wicketkeeper, lobbed it back to Richard Illingworth, who was the bowler at the time.

Illingworth broke the wicket and Trevor Jesty, the umpire, upheld a run-out appeal. However, Tim Robinson, the Nottinghamshire captain, said: 'Everybody in the dressing-room was angry about it.'

Law 23 states that the ball is deemed dead when it is finally settled in the hands of the wicketkeeper - which, in this case, it was - but also adds that this must be 'a question for the umpires alone to decide'.

In the event, Worcestershire stormed home by 89 runs in a perfect work-out for tomorrow's Benson and Hedges Cup final against Warwickshire at Lord's, Graeme Hick making 97 off 131 balls in a total of 263 for 6 before Nottinghamshire were dismissed for 174.

Warwickshire, meanwhile, wrapped up victory in under an hour at Grace Road when Leicestershire slumped to 168 all out. The holders now face Somerset, who completed a three-wicket success over Yorkshire at Headingley with a ball to spare.

Durham conceded a mind-boggling competition record of 62 extras at Darlington, where Tim O'Gorman scored 89 to collect the Man of the Match award as Derbyshire reached their target of 279 with 11 balls remaining.

NATWEST TROPHY QUARTER-FINAL DRAW: Derbyshire v Kent; Glamorgan v Surrey; Somerset v Warwickshire; Worcestershire v Northamptonshire. (Matches to be played Tuesday, 26 July).