WINNING the toss as mist replaced rain, and with the covers only just removed, Warwickshire must have expected plenty of movement. Sadly for them, it happened only when they eventually tackled a target that, at 225 off 36 overs, was far too high even for their batting line-up.

The visiting team would also have had in mind the Riverside’s reputation for awkward one-day pitches. But that may have changed, for yesterday’s pitch gave a blameless bounce from the start. Moreover, Heath Streak and Dougie Brown offered limited pace as well as bowling waywardly.

Durham were happy to make five an over in relative comfort, but when Jon Lewis was out at 138 for two, having made 61 off 87 balls, there was a sort of panic: only eight overs remained and a number of fast-scoring batsmen were still in the pavilion. In the event, they collected nearly ten an over from that point. Paul Collingwood accelerated to 53, a promoted Phil Mustard hit 18 off ten balls, Gary Pratt made 30 off 18 and Dale Benkenstein 19 from six.

Durham’s bowlers looked in a different league, with Mick Lewis particularly dangerous. Ian Bell was out leg-before for nought to a darting in-ducker. Nick Knight kept Warwickshire alive until Collingwood’s medium-pace induced a thin edge. At 56 for four it was all but over, despite the counter-attack launched by Brown and Alex Loudon.