Tahir The Hero As Bears Down Durham

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir claimed a hat-trick as the Bears consolidated their position in second place of the North Group with a clinical win over Durham Dynamos at the Emirates ICG.

Having won the toss, the Bears were soon on top as Boyd Rankin (1-17) and Neil Carter (2-18) combined to reduce the home side to 19-3, big hitters Phil Mustard (11), Ian Blackwell (7) and Ben Stokes (1) all removed early.

The introduction of Keith Barker (2-28) had Durham in further strife as the experienced Dale Benkenstein (1) was caught by Ant Botha, who wasn’t required to bowl, with the score on 23. Albie Morkel (48) and Gordon Muchall (10) gave the innings an air of respectability, adding 28 for the fifth wicket, before the latter was bowled by Tahir.

Will Smith followed the very next ball, caught by Botha again, and the hat-trick was complete when Ben Harmison edged to Rikki Clarke at slip.

At 51-7 Durham were struggling to register three figures, but some sensible batting from Morkel and Gareth Breese (30) saw the innings close on a nonetheless disappointing 117-8.

In reply, Neil Carter crashed two fours before he was caught off the bowling of Harmison (1-20) and the Bears were in danger of making heavy weather of a modest chase when Keith Barker (9) was caught behind with the score on 26.

A stand of 32 between Darren Maddy (20) and captain Jim Troughton (34) all but ended the match as a contest, however, with both men calmly accumulating their runs at just under the required rate.

When Maddy and Ian Westwood (1) were run out in quick succession, but 29 from just 21 balls from Clarke saw the visitors home at a canter with two overs to spare as the batsmen backed up another high-class bowling effort.

Warwickshire Bears 120-5 (Troughton 34) BEAT Durham Dynamos 117-8 (Morkel 48, Breese 30; I Tahir 3-19, Carter 2-18, Barker 2-28) by five wickets.