Surrey's hopes of clinching a quarter-final berth in the Friends Provident Trophy were as good as ended yesterday when Ben Stokes's third legal delivery in county cricket brought the 17-year-old the prized scalp of Mark Ramprakash. Chasing a target of 288, the Brown Caps were 130-2 when, looking to clear the short leg-side boundary, Ramprakash dragged Stokes on to the base of his off stump. Five overs the later, when Stokes accounted for Matthew Spriegel, the home side were 139-6, a position from which there was no way back.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Durham went from being 99-1 at the halfway stage in their innings to banking a challenging 287-4. Gordon Muchall departed in the sixth over, caught behind in front of first slip off Pedro Collins, though not before he had taken three boundaries in four balls off Stuart Meaker.

Will Smith then joined forces with Kyle Coetzer. Together they added 100 in 23 overs for the Dynamos' second wicket, laying the foundations for a charge that was led first by Ian Blackwell, then by Dale Benkenstein.

Coetzer reached his first one-day half-century of the season in 78 deliveries. But after offering a half chance to Ramprakash at short fine leg off the bowling of Usman Afzaal in the 26th over, the 25-year-old was bowled attempting to force the pace against Chris Schofield three overs later.

Smith and Blackwell then put on 91 in eleven overs. Blackwell's innings took off when he swept Spriegel for six in the 34th over, which took Durham to 150, and repeated the dose two overs later. The former Somerset men then targeted Grant Elliott, whom he edged to third man and then hit straight up the ground for another four in the 39th over.

In the same over Smith despatched the New Zealand all-rounder to the extra cover boundary, but, in the next, the Dynamos' skipper, who had earlier been dropped at gully by Spriegel on 16, cut Andre Nel to the same fielder. Smith's responsible 77 off 99 balls contained only five fours.

Blackwell and Benkenstein were only in tandem for five overs, but the 42 runs they added in that time, helped by Nel overstepping the crease and Collins straying down leg-side proved to be crucial. In the 45th over, Schofield had Blackwell caught at deep backward square leg for a 49-ball 57, but that did not stop the visitors claiming a further 37 off their last four overs.

In reply, Surrey lost Michael Brown, cutting, in the ninth over. Ten overs later, Ramprakash, who was dropped on seven, by Coetzer at mid-wicket, late cut Blackwell for four then swept the former England all-rounder to the fence at deep square leg. The 20th over saw Scott Newman pull Will Gidman through wide mid-on for four to post a 67-ball fifty. But two overs later Newman, trying to run Gareth Breese down to third man, was caught behind for 53.

The Brown Caps' only other partnership of substance was Afzaal and Schofield's 58-run stand in ten overs for the seventh wicket, but, by then, the outcome was virtually beyond doubt.

Ramprakash went in the 29th over, Elliott, bowled by Breese off an inside edge, followed him back to the dressing room in the 30th. Two overs later, Gary Wilson, sweeping, was caught behind off a glove to give Breese a third wicket, and in the 33rd over Spriegel played on.

Schofield launched Smith's part-time off-spin over long-on for six, but only when Schofield departed, bowled attempting to reverse sweep the second ball in succession, did Surrey, needing 89 off seven overs, invoke their batting powerplay.

Afzaal contributed a valiant 58, but his side was eventually put out of its misery when Collins was caught behind off Liam Plunkett, leaving Meaker, who batted with a runner, after injuring an ankle in the field, unbeaten on four.

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