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NCL, 5th August - Div 2

Wednesday, August 6 2003

Durham (199 all out) lost to Nottinghamshire (203 for 6) at Chester-le-Street

After a spirited start by the home side - aided by a healthy partnership with young Nick Peng and Martin Love - a middle order collapse left the side at 115 for the loss of 5 wickets. Jon Lewis prompted a revival of sorts, abetted by the promising Phil Mustard and Graeme Bridge before the three were banished leaving Durham on a more competitive 193 for 8. Shoaib Akhtar, Neil Killeen and Steve Harmison were never going to blaze the side up into the 230s, but might have done better than to steer their side to 199 all out. Gareth Clough and Paul Franks picked up three wickets apiece for Notts to allow their team to chase down a very achievable 200 runs.

An excellent start by Durham in the field left their guests reeling at 56 for 5 with the ever dangerous Chris Cairns back in the pavilion with a solitary run against his name. Enter the hard hitting Kevin Pietersen and Chris Read. Pietersen hammered 72 from just 57 deliveries - including three towering sixes - whilst Read played the ball around superbly for his 46. When Pietersen was caught off the bowling of Shoaib, Paul Franks came in and played a sensible knock of 31 unbeaten to guide his side to victory with the England ODI wicket keeper.

Cricketweb's man of the match was Paul Franks for valiant efforts with bat and ball.

Somerset (283 for 8) defeated Middlesex (216 all out) at Taunton

Jamie Cox provided over a quarter of all the runs scored at his home ground as Somerset raced up to a huge score of 283 for 8. Cox hit a massive 130 from ten less deliveries, including 14 fours and 2 sixes. Keith Parsons helped Cox stage the biggest of his five partnerships and himself scored a creditable 38. The Middlesex bowling was wayward to say the least, adding 16 extras and never troubling Somerset in any significant way. Tim Bloomfield took 4 wickets but at 6.44, his economy was far from spectacular.

Middlesex replied by gifting the wickets of Weekes and Strauss for just 14. Ed Joyce top scored with 59, by the time Ian Blackwell took his wicket, though, Middlesex were all but finished at 190 for 7. The missing Abdur Razzaq and Ashley Noffke did Middlesex's chances no good, but the side never really got going after conceding the huge tally posted against them, finishing at 216.

Cricketweb's man of the match was Jamie Cox - inevitably - for setting up a big victory with his gargantuan score of 130.

Posted by Lee