Boiling has decisive spell against Oxford

David Boon last night celebrated his first win as captain of Durham, after James Boiling, his off-spinner, turned the match in the county side's favour against Oxford University at The Parks.

Boon, the former Australian Test player, had to be patient as the students showed they had learnt much from their careless first innings by batting with impressive caution in their second, seemingly towards a draw. However, Boiling, the former Surrey player who has disappointed since his move north, took 3 for 21 in a late decisive spell to break the University side's resistance and secure a 97-run victory.

The pace bowler, Simon Brown, made the initial breakthrough, but a determined half-century from Chetan Patel and James Averis's 42 delayed the victory march until Boiling's intervention.

Dean Jones was the other Australian skipper with reason to be cheerful yesterday after taking Derbyshire to victory by an innings and 12 runs against Cambridge University at Fenner's. Devon Malcolm claimed two victims, sending back Steffan Jones for 18 and Jim Freeth for just a single, to finish with 3 for 54 as the students were dismissed for 156 after resuming on a precarious 104 for 6.

Cambridge had lost their seventh wicket without adding to their total when Kevin Dean, who took three wickets in six balls yesterday, had David Churton caught without addition to his 15.

Vince Clarke wrapped up the win in bizarre fashion by having Ed How caught for a duck off the last ball before lunch when the batsman gave himself out, much to the surprise of the umpire Ray Julian.