Sporting Digest: Cricket

IAN BOTHAM hit an unbeaten 35 to steer Durham to a six-wicket win over the Minor Counties with seven balls to spare in the preliminary round of the Benson and Hedges Cup at Hartlepool yesterday. Durham will be at home to Hampshire in the next round on 11 May.

B & H CUP Preliminary round (Hartlepool): Durham bt Minor Counties by 6 wickets.

(Minor Counties won toss)

MINOR COUNTIES

S J Dean c Fothergill b Brown 5

N R Gaywood c Botham b Brown 4

M J Roberts c Fothergill b Hughes 18

* I Cockbain c Fothergill b Bainbridge 33

N J Adams c Fothergill b Hughes 11

J Derrick c Fowler b Bainbridge 13

P G Newman st Fothergill b Bainbridge 6

G Miller not out 22

M I Humphries b Wood 27

K A Arnold not out 4

Extras (b1 lb7 w5) 13

Total (for 8, 55 overs) 156

Fall: 1-5 2-17 3-35 4-55 5-79 6-95 7-100 8-145.

Did not bat: A Smith.

Bowling: Wood 8-2-19-1; Brown 9-2-32-2; Botham 6-0-21-0; Hughes 10-2-35-2; Graveney 11- 2-17-0; Bainbridge 11-1-24-3.

DURHAM

W Larkins lbw b Newman 42

G Fowler lbw b Newman 0

I Smith c Humphries b Smith 34

P Bainbridge c Cockbain b Miller 34

I T Botham not out 35

P W Parker not out 3

Extras (lb7 w2) 9

Total (for 4, 53.5 overs) 157

Fall: 1-0 2-66 3-89 4-142.

Did not bat: A R Fothergill, J Wood, * D A Graveney, S P Hughes, S J E Brown.

Bowling: Newman 10-3-23-2; Arnold 10-2-45-0; Miller 11-1-29-1; Derrick 11-2-30-0; Smith 11-2-23-1.

Umpires: P Willey and B J Meyer.

RAPID CRICKETLINE SECOND XI CHAMPIONSHIP (First day of three): Derby: Derbyshire 198 (P R Whitaker 52); Hampshire 85 for 1 (R S M Morris 50no). Uxbridge: Middlesex 299 (Aftab Habib 76, J C Harrison 59; R M Wight 7-106); Gloucestershire 18 for 0. Hove: Sussex 304 for 8 dec (J A North 120, K Newell 50); Durham 47 for 1. Worcester: Leicestershire 213 (G R Haynes 4-36); Worcestershire 82 for 1. Old Trafford: Lancashire 332 for 8 dec (S P Titchard 101, J D Fitton 90, G Yates 51); Surrey 18 for 0. Coventry and North Warwick: Warwickshire 276 (M A V Bell 58; D B Pennett 5-74) v Nottinghamshire. Today: 11.0.