Warne inspires Hants to dramatic win

11:45am Monday 18th June 2007

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HAMPSHIRE (232 & 309-9dec) BEAT DURHAM (288 & 203) BY 50 RUNS

Points: Hampshire (18), Durham (5)

There are few better sights than Shane Warne in full flow, and Hampshire's captain provided a masterclass to restore his side's Championship ambitions at the Rose Bowl.

It is surprising that Warne has taken five seasons and 58 first-class matches to claim ten wickets in a match for Hampshire, but his performance yesterday was well worth the wait.

We were given the first sign of his outrageous confidence following the boldest of declarations at Hampshire's overnight total of 309-9.

The original intention had been for Chris Tremlett and James Bruce to bat on, but after more rain accounted for the loss of another 30 overs yesterday morning, Warne set Durham a target of 254 from the remaining 66 overs.

It appeared a generous declaration, especially when Durham raced to 83-0, needing 171 at less than four an over.

But Warne stayed calm.

Having waited until Durham were 71-0 from 15 overs before bringing himself on, he claimed 5-50 to finish with a match analysis of 11-133, his best haul since taking 12-246 in the drawn Oval Test that won England the Ashes two years ago.

In doing so, Warne silenced those doubters suggesting he had lost some of his zip.

His 12th haul of ten wickets or more in a first-class match includes ten in Tests for Australia and one for Victoria, but it was his adventurous captaincy as much as his talent that set up a rewarding win.

He took centre stage on a spin-friendly track after first-innings centurion Michael Di Venuto (50) miscued a pull against Tremlett to mid-wicket.

Gordon Muchall was trapped lbw trying to sweep before Warne took two key wickets in successive overs after tea.

Will Smith (41) was lbw playing no shot to a Warne googly and Durham captain Dale Benkenstein was brilliantly caught left-handed by Chris Benham following an athletic parry from Michael Lumb in the slips.

Warne was as classy at second slip as he was with the ball.

A 50-run fifth-wicket stand between Phil Mustard and Scott Styris ended when he held on to the first of two catches.

Warne moved to his left and held on two-handed after a Mustard drive against Clark resulted in a thick edge.

Often heard shouting 'bang-bang' to urge the fall of one wicket with another, Warne led by example in the next over by trapping Ottis Gibson lbw with a variation delivery - his tenth wicket of the match.

Durham needed 80 from 20 overs, with four wickets still remaining, at that stage. But the visitors have a long tail and Hampshire fed on their soft underbelly, as they had done in the first innings.

Styris became Warne's fourth lbw victim - Neil Mallender was the umpire at the Northern End - following a full-length delivery from the Hampshire captain, and then Clark gave Liam Plunkett a thorough examination of his ability to bat against the short ball.

Clark clattered Plunkett's helmet with one of his bouncers, but Tremlett replaced the Australian at the Pavilion End with Durham requiring 53 from 12 overs - and responded by taking the last three wickets.

A breathtaking one-handed catch from a diving Warne at second slip accounted for Plunkett.

Warne had to leave the field immediately for treatment after cutting his left hand in the process.

But with his hand bandaged, he was back on the field for the celebrations after Tremlett (4-47) completed the over by dismissing Mark Davies and Graham Onions, with the help of two more Benham pouches at second slip.

This could prove to be a pivotal result in Hampshire's season. It is hoped the three-week Championship break does not lose them any of the momentum created by their second win of the season and their first at the Rose Bowl since last July.

DURHAM (second innings)

SMITH lbw b Warne 41 (97 balls)

DI VENUTO c Crawley b Tremlett 50 (66)

MUCHALL lbw b Warne 9 (13)

STYRIS lbw b Warne 41 (74)

BENKENSTEIN c Benham b Warne 1 (7)

MUSTARD c Warne b Clark 21 (31)

GIBSON lbw b Warne 0 (4)

PLUNKETT c Warne b Tremlett 15 (28)

WISEMAN 2* (11)

DAVIES c Benham b Tremlett 0 (3)

ONIONS c Benham b Tremlett 0 (2)

EXTRAS 23 (12nb 2w 6b 3lb)

TOTAL 203 (55 overs)

Fall of wickets: 83 Di Venuto (21st over), 94 Muchall (24th), 115 Smith (34th), 123 Benkenstein (36th), 173 Mustard (45th), 174 Gibson (46th), 189 Styris (52nd), 201 Plunkett (55th), 201 Davies (55th) 203 Onions (55th)

Hampshire bowling: Clark 16-4-56-1, Bruce 4-0-28-0, Mascarenhas 3-1-13-0, Tremlett 12-2-47-4, Warne 20-5-50-5