DALE Benkenstein, man-of-the-match in Durham's win at Headingley last Thursday, took the award again at Riverside last night. But this time it was in a losing cause.

After he had revived Durham's pursuit of a 172 target by contributing 53 to a fourth wicket stand of 79 in nine overs, Benkenstein's exit left Durham needing 68 off eight overs.

There was no need to panic, but in the next over Muchall was run out and Gary Pratt clipped a catch straight to mid-wicket.

Then Richard Dawson turned one sharply to bowl Gary Scott and four wickets had gone down for four runs.

Controversy followed when Joe Sayers caught Gareth Breese on the square leg boundary and appeared to step back on to the rope. The crowd nearby were in no doubt as cries of "cheat" rang out when he claimed the catch.

It left Durham with no chance at 111 for eight and they were all out for 131 in 17.1 overs to lose by 40 runs.

Yorkshire slipped from 126 for one in the 15th over to finish on 171 for seven, with Scott and Benkenstein picking up three wickets each after Craig White left the other batsmen under pressure by surrendering to a poor stroke after making 55.

Durham had sold 4,000 tickets, but on a grim night and with little at stake, it looked as though a few had opted to stay at home. And with all hope of reaching the quarter-finals gone there is unlikely to be a stampede at the gates for tomorrow night's final match against Lancashire.

Yorkshire's win, however, keeps alive their slim hopes of reaching the last eight.

Durham were unchanged, while Yorkshire left out young leg-spinner Mark Lawson and brought in Adam Warren, an Australian paceman with a British passport, whose only previous appearance was against Leicestershire in the totesport League. They also retained Joe Sayers at the expense of Matthew Wood.

Ian Harvey swung at the first ball of the match and missed, but when Killeen dragged the next ball down short it was smashed over point for four as the Australian scored 11 of the 12 which came off the over.

Killeen was unlucky in his second over when White, on seven, got an inside edge just over the top of leg stump for four.

Durham defied Twenty20 tradition by posting two slips for Liam Plunkett's first two overs, but with 34 on the board after four overs, a deep cover became a wiser option.

Callum Thorp came on for the sixth over and his third ball was fiercely pulled for a big six behind square by Harvey.

Nathan Astle suffered similar treatment in the next over, although this time the six sailed in front of mid-wicket.

Astle followed up with three dot balls, however, and in his second over reacted swiftly to a quick single by nipping across to field Harvey's drive in front of mid-on and run him out with a direct hit on the non-striker's stumps.

Harvey scored 44 off 24 balls, but his exit merely brought in the other prolific Australian, left-hander Phil Jaques, who opened up with a straight drive for four on his way to 42.

Astle kept the brake on, with White unable to get him away, but the Yorkshire captain cover drove and swept successive balls from Gareth Breese for four.

Breese conceded only three off the 14th over, which may have prompted Benkenstein to try Scott's off-spin ahead of his own medium pace.

A lofted off-drive off Scott's first ball took White to his 50, then he swung the next ball in front of square leg for his eighth boundary. But only two more singles came off the over and when White swung wildly at the next ball he was bowled leg stump.

Despite his 55 runs, White was not at his best and it was not a good time to get out in such careless fashion.

At 126 for two after 15 overs Tim Bresnan was promoted to No 4, but made only one before lifting the first ball of Scott's second over to long-off, where Killeen ran in to hold a good catch.

Benkenstein came on for the 18th over and Anthony McGrath followed a high-class cut for four by being bowled through an ungainly slog.

Jaques missed a sweep at Scott and was stumped, then Michael Lumb hit the third six of the innings before skying Benkenstein to deep mid-wicket and Ismail Dawood paddled the last ball to short fine leg.

Nicky Peng swung the fourth ball of the reply over mid-wicket for four then made room to drive Harvey's next ball through extra cover and was bowled.

Phil Mustard opened up with a leg glance and straight drive, both for four, off Bresnan, but when Warren came on for the third over Astle drove airily at his first ball and edged to Dawood.

McGrath carved Warren over cover for four but then swatted the last ball of the over straight to McGrath at extra cover.

That left Durham on 23 for three with their three most powerful stroke-players gone, but as long as Benkenstein was at the crease they had every chance of winning.

Read more about Durham here.