Daley spoils the party

A century by Durham's Jimmy Daley put a dampener on Surrey's party as the northerners got the better of the National League Second Division title winners and county champions elect at The Oval.

A century by Durham's Jimmy Daley put a dampener on Surrey's party as the northerners got the better of the National League Second Division title winners and county champions elect at The Oval.

Surrey, with their National League title already in the bag and minds probably set on sealing the County Championship, were presented with the one-day trophy after the match but it was Durham who were left celebrating a rare victory. Their 59-run win was only their fourth in the competition this season.

The England and Wales Cricket Board hopes to settle terms with players' representatives for this winter's contracts ahead of the team's departure for Kenya later this month.

None of the England players selected for the one-day and Test squads this winter has signed the contracts issued to them by the ECB ahead of the tours to Kenya, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But Tim Lamb, the chief executive of the ECB, said yesterday that the disagreement - about bonus payments - should not be regarded as a major stumbling block and he expects all the contracts to be signed before the players fly out.