Blackwell blasts Sabres to Riverside triumph

Not even Shoaib Akhtar, who is rapidly becoming the local hero, could prevent the four-wicket defeat despite rattling the stumps with four perfect yorkers.

He finished with five for 35, the best one-day figures by a Durham bowler this season, but he couldn't remove powerful all-rounder Ian Blackwell.

A member of England's World Cup squad, Blackwell steered the visitors to their first win of any kind since beating Scotland on June 15 and took them level with Durham on 14 points.

Somerset passed Durham's inadequate 187 with six to spare, with left-hander Blackwell making easily the game's top score of 79 not out off 81 balls.

He was out slogging recklessly when Somerset were routed for 56 on Friday, but his hitting was more controlled yesterday, even if he did enjoy some luck.

Shoaib took the first two Somerset wickets in his third over before retiring after his fourth to have his sore toes re-bandaged.

Nicky Hatch had Australian Jamie Cox lbw to make it 48 for three, but Blackwell added 50 with the experienced Keith Parsons before Shoaib returned.

Parsons, who no longer features in Somerset's championship side, had played well for 31 but promptly had his off stump rattled.

The next two overs proved pivotal as Gary Pratt, normally Durham's best fielder, missed chances to remove both batsmen.

Although Phil Mustard was not blameless, Somerset skipper Mike Burns might have been run out for one with a better throw from cover, then Pratt failed to hang on to a diving effort at backward point when Blackwell, on 35, tried to cut Shoaib.

Having already hit Mark Davies for six with a flat pull wide of long-on, Blackwell celebrated the let-off with a huge driven six off Graeme Bridge.

Shoaib was given only two overs in his second spell to keep three in reserve for the end, but the introduction of Vince Wells was welcomed by Blackwell with an effortless chip for a straight six.

Things were now really going Somerset's way as Blackwell twice hit the ball in the air just short of fielders and Mustard fumbled an easy stumping chance off Bridge with Burns on nine.

Even though Burns was nursing a badly-swollen finger, the fifth-wicket pair put on 55 in only nine overs, forcing Durham to recall Shoaib.

Pratt made amends for his earlier miss with a brilliant catch at point as Burns slashed at Shoaib, exposing 18-year-old James Hildreth.

He lasted two balls, scoring a single off Gordon Muchall, only to be comprehensively yorked by a ball from Shoaib which left only leg stump standing.

But it was Shoaib's last over and there was still plenty of time for Blackwell to complete the job, which was probably just as well for Durham as they were not going to complete their overs in time.

With around 4,000, the best Sunday crowd of the season, turning up it was a shame that the match was played on another slow pitch.

With the ball not coming on to the bat, Durham have stuttered along in every home one-day match this season other than the opening Twenty20 game, when they scored 160 for four against Nottinghamshire.

Yesterday's total was their best at Riverside this season and it came courtesy of 42 from Martin Love and 41 from 38 balls by Mustard.

Although dropped twice, Shoaib delighted his growing fan club by driving a huge straight six in contributing a useful 19, but everyone else struggled.

Andrew Pratt has opened in the last two one-day games but made one and nought, so he made way for the return of Love with Wells being sent in to open.

A good start was again elusive, however, as Wells went for a duck in the second over, playing away from his body and edging to wicketkeeper Carl Gazzard.

Love was off the mark with an inside edge off Nixon McLean, but his class was soon evident as he swept past Nicky Peng in a stand of 44, the best of the innings.

Young seamer Gareth Andrew replaced McLean with the score on 35 after ten overs and Love took three fours off his first over. There was a straight drive and two clips to leg, the second of which flew in the air perilously close to square leg.

Peng made 16 before he took a nasty rap on the hand from Steffan Jones, who again bowled well after being the one Somerset player to emerge in credit from the championship match. Two balls later Peng tried to shoulder arms but the ball ran off his bat to hit leg stump.

Gordon Muchall was off the mark with a lovely cut for four, but it was his only scoring stroke as he shaped to play Andrew towards mid-on and had his off and middle stumps rattled.

The decline continued as Love, after hitting six fours, cut straight to backward point to make it 68 for four, forcing skipper Jon Lewis to consolidate.

He put on 32 in ten overs with Pratt, only for both to fall in successive overs. Trying to break the shackles of spinners Blackwell and Keith Dutch, Pratt tried to force the latter away off the back foot and got an inside edge into his stumps.

Lewis, who had struggled for 40 balls to make 14, then swept Blackwell to deep square leg, leaving Mustard to ensure a competitive total.

While the wicketkeeper was unsure how to approach it when asked to open, he has always looked confident at No 7 and had been in only a couple of overs when he drove Blackwell's last ball for a straight six.

He also swept with good timing and control and hit five fours before he tried to work McLean to fine leg in the 41st over and had his leg stump trimmed.

Shoaib skied a catch to long-off and with Somerset rushing to get their overs in before the 3.50 cut-off Durham were all out with four balls unused.

Durham have another National League game at Riverside tomorrow against Nottinghamshire, when they hope to have Neil Killeen available after he suffered a back spasm and made way for Hatch yesterday.

* Gary Pratt was presented with Durham's Player of the Month award for July yesterday. He improved his career-best championship score twice in successive innings with 85 at Worcester and 150 at home to Northants. He also made half-centuries against Yorkshire and Somerset.

Read more about Durham County Cricket Club here.