Worcs fall four runs short after Jayasuriya fireworks

WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' hopes of reaching the Friends Provident t20 quarter-finals are all but over after a nervy three-run defeat to Durham Dynamos.

Set 145 to win at New Road, Steve Rhodes' side took the match to the last ball but, having slumped from 51-1 to 67-4, were always behind the run-rate and lost cheap wickets chasing the target.

Despite 45 from Sanath Jayasuriya, it was a disappointing effort with the bat from a promising position and the Royals now go into tomorrow's match with Leicestershire Foxes at HQ bottom of the North Group.

It had all looked so good for Worcestershire after their decision to bowl upon winning the toss saw Durham openers Phil Mustard and Mark Stoneman stifled by Moeen Ali and Imran Arif before Jack Shantry bowled Mustard in the third over.

There were, though, a few nervy moments with Shaaiq Choudhry, making his Twenty20 debut, letting a Mark Stoneman drive slip through his fingers.

Choudhry also put down Stokes on 36 off Moeen as he juggled what seemed a certain catch before allowing it to squirm from his grasp.

Stokes was finally dismissed for 44, following a second-wicket stand of 85 with Stoneman, to a fine catch by a Moeen at long-on.

Stoneman was stumped by teenager Ben Cox off returning skipper Vikram Solanki for 46, but Durham's progress remained pedestrian. From there, the visitors lost the wickets of Dale Benkenstein, Albie Morkel and Gordon Muchall for 12 runs as they closed on 144-6.

In reply, Jayasuriya was quickly into his stride and plundered two successive sixes off Morkel in the fifth over.With Phil Jaques, the pair eased passed 50 but the Australian was soon on his way as he skied Ben Harmison to Gareth Breese.

The Royals then lost two wickets in the eighth over to Breese, Moeen chipping to Will Smith and Jayasuriya going leg-before five short of his half-century.

Having made such a prom-ising start, the Royals had only reached 67 at half-way and things got worse when Alexei Kervezee was well caught at mid-wicket by Stoneman, again off Breese, who finished with 3-14.

Solanki hit the first six of the innings in the 13th over but, when he was caught by Muchall for 25, his team's chances deteriorated.

There was a late moment of controversy as a wayward Steve Harmison delivery was given as a wide despite the ball appearing to slip out of the seamer's grasp.

Clearly riled, the former England paceman sent Daryl Mitchell's stumps cart-wheeling with next ball and with it went any realistic chance of a Royals victory.