Plunkett Picks Off Glamorgan to Set Up Durham Finals Debut

Finally, Durham can look forward to a first appearance at the Twenty20 finals day. Here they overcame a shaky start to dismiss the Dragons with such comfort that they will surely fancy their chances against Middlesex in Saturday's second semi-final at the Rose Bowl.

Liam Plunkett and Shaun Pollock, who had already contributed some handy runs at the end of Durham's innings, formed such an effective new ball partnership that Glamorgan's run-chase never got going. Plunkett plucked out Richard Grant's off stump with the first ball of the innings, added the wicket of David Hemp in an eventful opening over which also included two wides, and had Mike Powell well caught by Will Smith at cover to reduce the Dragons to 29 for three.

None of the top-order wickets fell to Pollock but he gave nothing away, to show why Durham were so keen to bring him back from his commentary commitments at Headingley, and the 35-year-old now has the chance to bring his long career to a fitting end in Southampton at the weekend.

Steve Harmison then came on and claimed an unorthodox run out with his right boot, steering Jamie Dalrymple's straight drive on to the non-striker's stumps to leave Tom Maynard stranded, and Paul Collingwood took a couple of wickets with his lively medium pace.

Glamorgan omitted Jason Gillespie as a precautionary measure to prevent his involvement in the rebel Indian Cricket League threatening their participation in the lucrative Champions League, and their bowlers coped admirably in his absence until a late assault by Gareth Breese, Shaun Pollock and Liam Plunkett.

James Harris claimed the prize scalps of Phil Mustard and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in his first two overs, while Collingwood was lbw driving at David Harrison for just two runs. Durham slumped to 49 for four but Will Smith and Dale Benkenstein steadied the ship with a fifth-wicket stand of 53 to lay the platform for Breese, Plunkett and Pollock to plunder 55 from the last four overs - which proved more than enough.