Durham defeated Warwickshire by 66 runs

Warwickshire's Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy hopes have been left hanging by a thread. Realistically the Bears will now have to win all their remaining games and hope that results elsewhere go their way if they are to progress to the final. It is very much a long shot.

Unlike the game at Leicestershire, where Warwickshire could genuinely claim to have been unfortunate, on this occasion they were outplayed. By no means did they play badly, but this is a good Durham side and they thoroughly deserved their second win out of two in the competition.

It is rare that a side outperforms Warwickshire either in the field, or in their running between the wickets.

Yet Durham, with the Penney-esque Gary Pratt to the fore, were highly impressive in both departments and squeezed the life out of the Warwickshire innings in the manner of a boa constrictor dealing with its prey.

Most impressive, however, was Durham's bowling. Michael Lewis bowled fast, Otis Gibson found movement off a perfect length and Gareth Breese tantalised the batsmen with a well controlled spell of spin bowling. Paul Colling-wood showed great improvement, too, bowling with surprising pace and skill. Warwickshire's young seam-ers could learn much from his excellent variations.

Liam Plunkett was the least impressive member of the attack, though Durham have an excellent replacement when he departs on England duty. Steve Harmison, who enjoyed a long bowl on the side of the square before the game, is likely to return to action on Wednesday in the County Championship game against Middlesex. He looked in formidable fettle.

Perhaps the margin of victory flatters Durham a little. The loss of early wickets put Warwickshire behind the rate and the five wickets that fell for 16 in the dying overs were the result of some increasingly desperate attempts to recover.

Nor will the Bears be boosted by Daniel Vettori's arrival in time for the next game. Although the New Zealand tour of South Africa has now finished, the deal agreed with him and his nation's cricket board stipulates that

he will not play before the Championship match at Lord's. Warwickshire do not, currently, anticipate any change to that agreement.

There was a strong look to this Warwickshire side. With Ian Westood, despite his good display at Grace Road, making way for Nick Knight and Ian Bell in for Michael Powell, the batting line-up appeared deep. Heath Streak had a little luck with the toss, too, winning it for the first time this season.

If there was any early movement, however, Warwickshire failed to utilise it. Streak struggled to find his rhythm and conceded five wides on either side of the wicket while Dougie Brown struggled with his length.

Although Neil Carter's extra pace accounted for the dangerous Jimmy Maher, well caught at point off the shoulder of the bat, too many loose balls prevented Warwickshire applying any pressure.

Jon Lewis drove efficiently in his 61 off 87 balls (four fours) and Paul Collingwood rode his luck for his 58-ball 53 (three fours and two sixes) but played some fine shots. Tim Groenewald's first delivery was clipped over mid-wicket for six, while Jimmy Anyon was lifted for another in the same direction.

Collingwood should have been caught on 37 off Streak. Freddie Klokker mis-judged a tricky chance, running back towards fine leg off, and failed to get a hand on the chance.

It was in the final overs that Durham really 'got away' from Warwickshire to finish on 224 for five.

Breathtaking running from Pratt (30 off 18 balls, four fours) and belligerent hitting from Dale Benkenstein, whose six-ball 19 included two sixes and a four, saw Warwickshire haemorrhage 85 runs from the final eight overs. It changed the momentum of the game irrevocably.

Pursuing a testing total on a fine cricket wicket, Warwick-shire lost early wickets and never threatened.

Carter, dropped before he had scored, skied to the keeper, Bell was again struck in the crease and, overbalancing, missed a straight one before Jonathan Trott edged a shortish one that left him.

Knight was caught behind as he attempted to run the bal to third man and Jim Troughton simply missed his attempt at a slog-sweep.

Brown (27) and Alex Loudon (36) provided some resistance. They put on 47 in eight overs, with Brown thrashing two furious legside sixes and Loudon cleverly placing the ball into the gaps.

Both perished to catches in the out field, however and after Streak simply missed, the inexperienced trio at the tail were left to fend for themselves against a rampant Durham team. It was an unequal struggle.

The chance of a repeat trip to Lord's has effectively gone now for Warwickshire. They must now regroup and improve their one-day form before the Pro-40 League begins. There is much they are doing right, but the margins between success and failure are small.

The bowling certainly needs more consistency and variation, while greater calm under pressure is required by the batsmen if such totals are to be over-hauled.

To be dismissed with almost five overs to spare in a game reduced to 36 a-side is unimpressive and suggests the calm head of Trevor Penney is much missed. ..SUPL: