Di Venuto propels dominant Durham

Holders Durham stormed into the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals as Michael Di Venuto left the hopes of former club Derbyshire hanging by a thread.

The Tasmanian left-hander hit 138 out of 288 for seven, and the Phantoms could only muster 181 in reply to lose by a crushing 117 runs at the Riverside.

The Dynamos, who followed three defeats with four successive wins, have completed their group games, although Derbyshire can draw level with victory over Scotland on Wednesday.

They would finish below Durham because of fewer wins, having had two games washed out, and can now progress only if Lancashire beat Yorkshire at Headingley Carnegie on Wednesday.

Dale Benkenstein won the toss for the first time in the competition this season and chose to bat in the hope of boosting a run-rate which was inferior to that of all Durham's rivals.

Helped by Tom Lungley’s struggles with the wind, Durham had 82 on the board after 11 overs.

Michael Di Venuto hit 138 at quicker than a run a ball in Durham's convincing win

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Di Venuto pulled Lungley's first two balls for four then added only two singles in the next seven overs as he and wicketkeeper-batsman Phil Mustard dominated.

Mustard, though, fell for 24 when he edged a drive at left-armer Graham Wagg to wicketkeeper Freddie Klokker.

Will Smith contributed 55 from 85 balls in a second-wicket stand of 142 before he called for a risky run and was run out in the 33rd over.

With Lungley conceding 52 in his opening five-over spell and 86 in total, Derbyshire appeared to have forgotten that Di Venuto is a prolific puller and cutter of the ball.

He reached 50 off 55 balls and 100 off 109 and had hit 19 fours off 135 deliveries when he was out with two balls of the innings left.

His previous one-day best for Durham was 66 at Old Trafford this season in a competition in which he averaged only 18 last year.

Durham brought in Mark Davies for his first one-day appearance of the season and he made a vital breakthrough with the ball in only his the second over.

Australian left-hander Chris Rogers fished at a ball which left him just enough to take the edge on the way to Mustard.

Dan Birch and Rikki Clarke briefly looked dangerous before miscuing attempted pulls, and at 89 for three after 20 overs Durham called on Gareth Breese.

The off-spinner cashed in on Derbyshire's desperate situation by taking 5-41 in nine overs through two stumpings and three catches in the deep as Derbyshire were bowled out in 37.5 overs.