June 15, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 10, 1429

LONDON, June 14: South African all-rounder Andrew Hall was the star of the show as Northamptonshire hammered Worcestershire by 33 runs in the English Twenty20 Cup on Friday.

Hall smashed an unbeaten 66 in Northants’ 182 for four and then took six wickets at a cost of only 21 runs in his four overs as Worcestershire slumped to 149 all out.

Ian Westwood edged a boundary off the last ball to earn Warwickshire a tie against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The visitors needed 82 off their last six overs to reach a victory target of 159, and almost got there thanks to Tony Frost’s 53 off 33 balls and an extraordinary contribution from Gloucestershire seamer Anthony Ireland.

He effectively conceded 12 off one ball in the 17th over, being hit for six off his first delivery and then sending down two no-ball full-tosses above waist height, which meant he had to be removed from the attack.

Gloucestershire’s total of 158 for four was built around an opening stand of 60 between Craig Spearman and Hamish Marshall, who top scored with 46. Ant Botha took three for 22 from four overs.

Durham cruised to a six-wicket victory against Leicestershire to boost their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

A fifth-wicket partnership of 52 in four overs between Dale Benkenstein and Albie Morkel saw Durham through to their second win of the week.

Batting first after winning the toss, the home side posted a total of 142 for eight but the strong Durham batting line-up made light work of the chase, reaching their victory target with two overs to spare.

Results:

North Division:

At Derby: Lancashire beat Derbyshire by 10 wickets.

Derbyshire 111 (G. Keedy 4-15); Lancashire 112-0 (M.B. Loye 54 not out, L Vincent 50 not out)

At Leicester: Durham beat Leicestershire by six wickets.

Leicestershire 142-8 (J.A. Morkel 4-30); Durham 147-4.

At Headingley: Nottinghamshire beat Yorkshire by four wickets.

Yorkshire 141-8; Nottinghamshire 143-6.

Midlands/West/Wales Division:

At Cardiff: Glamorgan beat Somerset by 14 runs.

Glamorgan 170-5; Somerset 156-8 (J.L. Langer 62).

At Bristol: Gloucestershire tied with Warwickshire.

Gloucestershire 158-4; Warwickshire 158-6 (T. Frost 53).

At Northampton: Northamptonshire beat Worcestershire by 33 runs.

Northamptonshire 182-4 (A.J. Hall 66 not out); Worcestershire 149 (A.J. Hall 6-21).

South Division:

At The Oval: Kent beat Surrey by 13 runs.

Kent 181-5 (J. Denly 52); Surrey 168-7.

At Hove: Hampshire beat Sussex by six wickets.

Sussex 204-6 (D. Smith 72 not out, M.W. Goodwin 69); Hampshire 205-4 (M.A. Carberry 58).—AFP