A complete change in the weather meant a start in the Second Eleven Twenty20 Triangular Tournament involving Yorkshire, Lancashire and Durham at Bingley yesterday - but it also meant two defeats for Yorkshire.

Yorkshire played Durham in both the morning and afternoon sessions - but lost by margins of two wickets and 31 runs after rain had prevented any play on Tuesday.

Durham arrived at Wagon Lane with malice aforethought! Having lost their first-round match against Lancashire in the Second Eleven 40-over Cup, they turned out a set of players with more than their fair share of Twenty20 experience. And it showed!

Yorkshire batted first in the morning match, and were held to 149 runs in their 20 overs. According to locals this was a par score for a Twenty20 thrash at Wagon Lane - the Bingley club play this format in an evening, and they even have floodlights!

Joe Root was the main man - his 70 coming off 54 balls, including eight fours and a six. Joe Sayers, a refugee from the first-team Twenty20 squad, opened with him and contributed 29 off a mere 21 balls with five fours and a six.

There was one ball to spare when Durham reached the target, but they stuttered mid-innings - losing six wickets by the time they were halfway to victory. The Yorkshire bowlers could not press home the advantage - and although they captured three more wickets that was that.

It was Durham’s turn to bat first in the afternoon, and they raised the bar on the par score as three batsmen - Kyle Coetzer, Karl Turner and Greg Fotheringham - made half centuries with 28 fours and two sixes between them, ending on 191 in their 20 overs for only wickets.

This proved much too much for the Yorkshiremen, although Charlie Roebuck made 50 exactly off 22 balls with nine fours and two sixes, and Joe Root 35. There were no more than a couple of 20s to add to the openers’ contribution. Yorkshire were bowled out in the last over, 32 short of their target.

The crowd obviously enjoyed the occasion, but would the memory last long?
It’s back to cricket played at a more leisurely pace next week. The Seconds travel to Radlett for the first time for a friendly match against Middlesex.

Words and Statistics: MICHAEL SNOOK