Yorkshire brush Durham aside
Michael Vaughan's composed 43 helped Yorkshire set Durham 269 to win. The hosts managed just 188 in reply
Former England captain Michael Vaughan made a classy 43 as his bid to earn a Test recall continued in Yorkshire's 80-run Friends Provident Trophy win over Durham at the Riverside.
Vaughan looked in fine touch during his 44-ball knock but was clean bowled by off-spinner Gareth Breese when well set for a more significant contribution.
The 34-year-old is one of the contenders to fill the number three position against West Indies at Lord's on May 6.
He will get a few more innings to prove his worth, however, after the England management opted to delay the naming of the party for 10 days.
Glimpses of brilliance adorned his innings but it was the substance of wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy's late hitting which proved most significant.
Brophy blasted an unbeaten 66 to help Yorkshire post 268 for seven after losing the toss, a total which was far too many for the hosts despite a fighting effort from last season's LV= County Championship-winning captain Dale Benkenstein, who was last out in a late clatter of five wickets for 26 runs to end the contest.
Brophy did not come to the crease until the 35th over when Jacques Rudolph's accomplished 73 ended in unaccomplished fashion: bowled after missing with an awful swipe at left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell.
Three leg-side fours in one over from Steve Harmison, another man hoping to be in the international reckoning at Lord's early next month, took Brophy to the verge of his half-century.
Captains past and present: Dale Benkenstein and Will Smith both contributed for Durham but neither could stave off defeat
And he greeted Callum Thorp's return to the attack by pulling a full toss for six to reach his landmark from 37 deliveries.
His aggression, supported by cameos from Ajmal Shahzad and Adil Rashid ensured Yorkshire plundered 91 runs from their final 10 overs against 2007 FTP champions Durham.
Vaughan showed moments of his undoubted class to serenely progress at exactly a run-a-ball before being bowled through the gate by a turning delivery from Breese.
In contrast to their opponents, Durham were hampered by early losses in the chase and it was left to Durham captains old and new to resuscitate their hopes.
The hosts lost three wickets inside the opening 13 overs as Phil Mustard inside-edged into his stumps off Deon Kruis, Gordon Muchall nicked behind off Tim Bresnan and Michael di Venuto was caught down the leg-side.
But Will Smith and Benkenstein (68), the man he inherited the leadership from last summer, shared a 68-run stand to get things back on course.
Only for two quick wickets - Smith chopping on in Ajmal Shahzad's first over back and Blackwell toe-ending an edge off leg-spinner Adil Rashid - to reassert Yorkshire dominance.
When Kruis halted Breese's dashing effort of 29 in his first over of a second spell, it sparked a terminal decline in the innings.
There were nine overs unused in fact when Benkenstein drilled a drive straight to Vaughan at cover to provide Bresnan with a third success, matching fellow new-ball bowler Kruis' return of three for 28.
