Durham in line for treble
Dale Benkenstein led Durham to their second one-day trophy of the season © Getty Images
Durham snatched the NatWest Pro40 Division Two title from Somerset’s grasp in the final round of matches to follow up their Friends Provident Trophy win and keep alive hopes of a domestic treble.
The Dynamos beat bottom club Glamorgan by 70 runs at the Riverside as the Sabres - who led the table by a single point at the start of the day - fell to a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Middlesex.
Durham’s Australian opener Michael Di Venuto (55) and captain Dale Benkenstein (58) both helped themselves to breezy half-centuries while there were also handy knocks from Phil Mustard and Kyle Coetzer at the top of the order.
Ottis Gibson removed Richard Grant with just one run on the board but a 103-run stand between Gareth Rees and Michael O’Shea slowed Durham’s progress.
But wickets soon started to tumble and Paul Wiseman collected 3-18 as he helped wrap up the victory - and the silverware for Benkenstein’s side, who are still competing for the LV County Championship.
In comparison, Somerset fluffed their lines at Taunton after their 211 for nine proved insufficient to stave off a rampant Middlesex.
They were also chasing a second success of the campaign after securing first place in the second tier of the championship.
Ed Smith ensured Middlesex still have a chance of being promoted © Getty Images
But former England opener Marcus Trescothick was dismissed for three, while fellow top-order batsmen Craig Kieswetter (nine) and Peter Trego (six) also fell cheaply.
Only Justin Langer, with 54, and former South Africa Test star Neil McKenzie, top-scorer with 86, got going as Steven Finn and Tim Murtagh shared six wickets.
In reply, Middlesex openers Ed Joyce and Ed Smith added 154 for the opening stand before falling to Ian Blackwell and Andrew Caddick respectively.
England internationals Andrew Strauss and Jamie Dalrymple then saw the Crusaders home with 2.5 overs to spare as Langer’s side, who are promoted as runners-up, saw their title hopes slip away.
Middlesex, meanwhile, take third and will go forward to a play-off with the third-bottom side from Division One.
Elsewhere, Yorkshire crushed Derbyshire by a 107-run margin at Headingley Carnegie after a first-innings total of 236 underpinned by England captain Michael Vaughan’s 95.
Vaughan and Jacques Rudolph (40) put on 87 for the first wicket while Anthony McGrath added a brisk 39 for the home side.
Strugglers Derbyshire then crumbled to 129 all out as Deon Kruis helped himself to 4-17.
Surrey finished fourth after Jade Dernbach hit the last ball of the day for six against Leicestershire at Grace Road.
John Sadler top-scored with 62 in the Foxes’ 231 but the Brown Caps responded with fifties from Mark Ramprakash (72), captain Mark Butcher (62) and Matt Nicholson (57 not out).
Dernbach then struck the final delivery, which was only his second, over the ropes to claim a dramatic win.
Durham celebrate the Second Division title
