Harmison humbled as Botha guides Derbyshire to last-gasp win

Ant Botha guided Derbyshire to an astonishing one-wicket last-ball win over Durham in their Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy tie at Chester-le-Street yesterday.

The match was forced into a reserve day after bad light on Wednesday. The visitors needed 14 off the last over, bowled by the England paceman Steve Harmison, to overhaul Durham's 234. Botha slogged the first ball for a straight four, lofted the next back over Harmison's head for two then turned a yorker behind square for a single, leaving Kevin Dean on strike.

Bowling round the wicket to the left-hander, Harmison saw the fourth ball turned to fine leg for four and then Dean scrambled a single. It meant Derbyshire needed one off the final ball to tie the scores and win by virtue of having lost fewer wickets. With the field in to save the single, Harmison went for the yorker but Botha hit it behind square for his fourth four to finish with 34 off 26 balls.

Worcestershire beat Scotland with ease at The Grange to set up a trip to Yorkshire in the second round. Worcestershire, beaten finalists in the last two seasons, won by 10 wickets with more than 30 overs to spare.

The win was achieved with a rapid-fire unbeaten 74 from the captain, Vikram Solanki, while his fellow opener Stephen Moore weighed in with 57 not out after the Scots had been bowled out for just 134.