FIRST-CLASS cricket of the one-day variety returned to Stanley Park last Wednesday and a crowd of 4,800 enjoyed a sun-kissed day watching Lancashire make short shrift of Durham in the quarter-final of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.

Batting first, Durham were restricted to 198-8 in their 50 overs and Lancashire cruised to victory at 199-3 with 11.2 overs remaining.

For Durham only Paul Collingwood, with 60, and wicketkeeper Andrew Pratt, with a swift 26 at the end, made any impression on some tight Lancashire bowling of which Gary Yates with 2-23 from his 10 overs was the best.

Although Lancashire lost two early wickets in reply, Andrew Flintoff and Neil Fairbrother scored freely and made the Durham attack look very modest. Indeed Flintoff had probably faced more menacing bowling in his younger days in the Northern League. Fairbrother made 73 before sacrificing his wicket in the charge to victory, but Flintoff was left with a splendid 72 not out as Lancashire earned a semi-final tie against in-form Leicestershire.

Before the match Lancashire coach Bobby Simpson remarked "We're going to approach the game in a very aggressive, very confident manner. I think we've turned the corner now, we're out of the maze in terms of the one-day game. We've started to play very well and we're obviously growing in confidence."

Durham coach Martyn Moxon's view was: "We've beaten them twice already this year, but that won't have too much bearing on this one." How right he was!