Durham v Nottinghamshire (Friends Provident Trophy)

FOR the second successive day Durham had their fans on tenterhooks yesterday before clinching a home semi-final in the Friends Provident Trophy.

Gareth Breese was at the centre of jubilant scenes as Durham squeezed into their first one-day semi-final, beating Nottinghamshire by one wicket at Riverside with an over to spare.

Joined by last man Neil Killeen with 21 still needed off four overs, the Jamaican all-rounder was unbeaten on 68 after hitting the last two balls of the 49th over for four.

Even if Durham lose their final group game against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Wednesday they will be at home on June 20 because of their higher total of wins. They will face the runners-up in the southern group, which is still wide open, and tickets will be on sale from 9am on Thursday.

Victory was a huge relief for Durham after they appeared to have squandered the great start they were given by Phil Mustard's 71 in their pursuit of Nottinghamshire's 238 for eight.

Mustard took his tally in eight innings in the competition to 426 runs but Durham's stroll became a scramble when they lost two wickets in two balls at 120 for three in the 28th over.

Mustard had already enjoyed some luck against Mark Ealham, top-edging a hook over the wicketkeeper, when he was bowled through an attempted pull.

Kyle Coetzer edged the next ball to wicketkeeper Chris Read, but victory still looked a formality as Dale Benkenstein and Breese put on 50 in 11 overs.

That meant only 69 were needed and there was no real need for haste when the captain went down the pitch to a ball from off-spinner Graeme Swann which was pushed through wide of off stump and Read made a stumping he appeared to have planned by having a word with the bowler.

With 62 needed off nine Ottis Gibson's miscued swing to leg off medium pacer Gareth Clough carried for six over long leg, but when he also swung across the next ball he was adjudged lbw by Vanburn Holder.

Paul Wiseman made a sprightly 13 and again there was no need for the suicidal single he attempted with only 26 needed in the 46th over.

Charlie Shreck, who had a dreadful day, then yorked Graham Onions to bring in Neil Killeen, who helped to secure victory.

It looked like being plain sailing as Mustard raced to a 42-ball half-century, but at 79 for one in the 15th over Will Smith's efforts to impress his former team-mates ended when he edged a drive to the wicketkeeper to fall for 13.

Then Scott Styris went for three when he surprisingly advanced down the pitch in Ealham's first over. Having earlier removed his New Zealand captain, Stephen Fleming, for 98 he tried to clear him at mid-off, but the 6ft 3in Fleming reached up, juggled the ball several times and clung on.

At 86 for three much depended on Benkenstein because Durham had increased their bowling options at the expense of the batting by handing a one-day debut to Wiseman.

His inclusion in place of Paul Collingwood was the only change from the team which won at Headingley last Sunday.

Durham used seven bowlers, with the lack of pace in the pitch persuading Benkenstein that spin and medium pace were preferable to pace towards the end of the visitors' innings.

Wiseman had bowled four overs for 17 runs and the wicket of Samit Patel when, with the total on 156 for four, Fleming decided it was time to open up at the start of the last ten overs.

He made room to hit Wiseman with the spin over extra cover, imparting enough slice for the ball to spin wickedly past Gibson on landing.

That was followed by a masterful reverse sweep for another boundary as 12 came off the over and Styris was recalled for the last four overs at the Lumley End.

He immediately snared Fleming, who tried to run him to third man and edged to Mustard. Fleming had taken 82 balls to reach 50, but only a further 40 to get to 98, so his removal with seven overs left was crucial.

There was still time for the big-hitting Ealham to do some damage and three overs later he hit the only six of the innings, high over mid-wicket off Breese.

But the gamble of bowling the off-spinner at that stage paid off when Ealham drove the next ball fiercely into the hands of Benkenstein at short extra cover.

Durham have also known Chris Read wreak havoc, but when Killeen returned for the 48th over the wicketkeeper lifted the first ball high to deep mid-wicket, where Coetzer held the catch.

When Graeme Swann tried to paddle Killeen to fine leg later in the over and was lbw there was no-one left capable of serious damage and Killeen completed his ten overs with the excellent figures of three for 28, having started the match with two wides.

Graham Onions also began with a wide when he came on for the 12th over and his next ball was turned to fine leg for four by Fleming.

But just as bubbles can be burst by outrageous misfortune, it can work the other way round and Onions' struggles of the last few days ended when a long hop was cut by Mark Wagh to backward point, where Will Smith took a stunning catch diving to his left.

Durham were in control at 64 for three when David Hussey was bowled off a bottom edge when trying to pull Gibson.

Patel helped Fleming put on 69, but it took up 15 overs, with the experienced Kiwi probably thinking at that stage that, from his previous Riverside experience, 220 would be a winning score.

Fleming is generally considered one of the most astute captains, yet despite Mustard's onslaught he left Shreck on for six overs, during which he was pulled and driven for six.

By the time Gareth Clough replaced him Durham had 67 on the board after 12 overs, but they had lost Michael Di Venuto on 37, caught by Hussey diving to his left at square leg.

Smith helped to put on 42, and despite the various wobbles Breese's run-a-ball knock left Durham one step from Lord's.

SCORECARD

Durham v Nottinghamshire at Riverside.

Nottinghamshire Innings
B M Shafayat lbw b Killeen 12
S P Fleming c Mustard b Styris 98
M A Wagh c W R Smith b Onions 1
D J Hussey b Gibson 7
S R Patel c Gibson b Wiseman 30
C M Read c K J Coetzer b Killeen 30
M A Ealham c Benkenstein b Breese 12
G P Swann lbw b Killeen 8
G D Clough not out 10
A J Harris not out 2
Extras (b4 lb8 w14 nb2 pens 0) 28
Total 8 wkts Innings Complete
(50 overs) 238
Fall: 1-31 2-48 3-64 4-133 5-183 6-210 7-
219 8-223. Did Not Bat: C E Shreck.
Bowling: Killeen 10-1-28-3. Gibson 8-0-34-1.
Onions 7-2-24-1. Styris 9-0-44-1. Breese 7-0-43-
1. Wiseman 5-0-29-1. Benkenstein 4-0-24-0.

Durham Innings
M J Di Venuto c Hussey b Harris 8
P Mustard b Ealham 71
W R Smith c Read b Clough 13
S B Styris c Fleming b Ealham 3
D M Benkenstein st Read b Swann 39
K J Coetzer c Read b Ealham 0
G R Breese not out 68
O D Gibson lbw b Clough 9
P J Wiseman run out 13
G Onions b Shreck 0
N Killeen not out 2
Extras (b2 lb3 w9 nb2 pens 0) 16
Total 9 wkts (49 overs) 242
Fall: 1-37 2-79 3-86 4-120 5-120 6-170 7-
183 8-213 9-218
Bowling: Shreck 10-0-76-1. Harris 10-1-43-1.
Clough 10-1-55-2. Ealham 9-2-20-3. Swann 10-
0-43-1.

Durham beat Nottinghamshire by 1 wkt