Blakey's boundary snatches victory

Cricket

Yorkshire added to Northamptonshire's Benson and Hedges Cup gloom by snatching a remarkable two-wicket victory off the last ball of yesterday's AXA Equity & Law League contest.

With the scores level, Richard Blakey swung the final delivery from Paul Taylor to the midwicket boundary as the home side missed out on the chance of joining Surrey at the top of the table.

Rob Bailey's men compiled 236 for 4 thanks to a second-wicket stand of 106 in 22 overs between Kevin Curran and opener Richard Montgomerie (69).

It looked liked being Northamptonshire's day when Taylor removed Michael Vaughan, Michael Bevan and David Byas in the space of 18 deliveries as Yorkshire slumped to 47 for 4, but Martyn Moxon (72) and Anthony McGrath (69) fought back, adding 111 in 17 overs.

Northamptonshire still appeared to be heading for a win as they reduced Yorkshire to 217 for 8 with only two overs left. However, some meaty blows from Blakey and Chris Silverwood carried the Tykes to their first Sunday League win at Wantage Road since 1979.

Lancashire, Northamptonshire's victors in Saturday's Benson and Hedges Cup final, could not maintain this form as Warwickshire beat them by 13 runs at Edgbaston to move within four points of the top of the AXA Equity and Law League.

Neil Smith's 76 laid the foundations of the Midlanders' 40-over total of 212 for 6 and despite a fluent 52 from John Crawley the home side always had too many runs in the bank.

A record partnership between Sherwin Campbell and Stewart Hutton carried Durham to a seven-wicket victory against Leicestershire in the second Costcutter Cup semi-final at Harrogate.

The pair put on 196 runs from 42 overs, beating the previous best for the first wicket in the 21 years of the competition of 135 by Pasty Harris and Basharat Hassan for Nottinghamshire against Middlesex in 1977. Durham now meet the holders, Gloucestershire, in today's final.