Katich earns Hampshire victory

Hampshire 201 for 6 (Katich 59*, Borthwick 4-51) beat Durham 200 for 7 (Muchall 96*, Ali 3-39) by four wickets
Scorecard

Simon Katich guided Hampshire to a comfortable four-wicket CB40 win over Durham with a perfectly judged half-century. Australian veteran Katich struck three sixes and a four in his 59 not out as Hampshire got home with 10 balls to spare.

Durham, put in on a slow wicket, mustered 200 for 7 from their 40 overs. Gordon Muchall underpinned Durham's total with a brave and defiant 96 not out, coming in at 41 for 3 with his side finding it hard to get the better of a wet outfield.

Muchall struck five fours and two sixes off 99 balls, sharing in an important stand of 83 for the fifth wicket with Dale Benkenstein, who made 31. Paul Collingwood contributed 28 and it might have been more had he not been beaten by a throw from Jimmy Adams at extra cover when the Durham total was 59.

Kabir Ali was the most successful of the Hampshire bowlers, taking 3 for 39, removing opener Phil Mustard in his first spell and then returning to get rid of former Hampshire batsman Johann Myburgh and Gareth Breese.

When Hampshire responded they were given a solid base by Adams and fellow opener James Vince who put on 73 for the first wicket.

Legspinner Scott Borthwick ended the stand when he removed Adams for 33 and later caused concern in the Hampshire camp by coming back to dismiss Sean Ervine and Liam Dawson. But all the while former Durham batsman Katich was in command, so were Hampshire.

Katich twice hit Borthwick for six and did the same to Ben Stokes before finding the perfect ally in Dimitri Mascarenhas. With 30 required off 29 balls at the fall of Dawson's wicket at the start of the 36th over, Katich and Mascarenhas went on the offensive.

Mascarenhas lifted Borthwick for another six to take Hampshire in sight of victory before Borthwick got some measure of revenge by him lbw for 22.

The sixth wicket pair had put on 28 in 15 balls and with Hampshire now needing two runs, the rest was a formality. Katich faced 62 balls and, for all his late punishment, Borthwick was the pick of the Durham bowlers in terms of wickets, finishing with 4 for 51 from his eight-over stint.