IT WAS in Jamshedpur and Indore that Paul Collingwood had previously bowled competitively, delivering a modest three overs in each of those one-day internationals. In his reappearance yesterday he again had only three overs. Shockingly, they went for 38 runs.

Perhaps the big difference was the temperature — about 45C in India, about 45F here. His first ball came out feebly and Rob White swung it very high away to leg for six. White, a notable dasher, continued to hit upwards, like some mad English Afridi, and the ball kept sailing to the long boundaries. Collingwood was rested after going for 23 in two overs, only to be brought back at the other end. That was brave. A third over, costing 15 , swiftly ended his day as a bowler — although he later batted brightly.

As for White, he had struck five sixes and three fours before falling on the boundary. As Durham gradually slowed the visiting team’s progress, Lance Klusener, was a giant shackled by the off spin of Gareth Breese, who bowled 11 successive dot balls to him.

Durham’s pursuit of 198 was much more measured. Dale Benkenstein, their fluent captain, scored his unbeaten 63 off 44 balls — deceptively, faster even than White’s 54 off 43 — to bring victory with an over to spare.