Captain David Byas showed great coolness under pressure to guide Yorkshire to a six-wicket win over Durham yesterday which maintained their strong challenge for the AXA League title.

Opening the innings for the first time this season, Byas was unbeaten with a battling 79 as Yorkshire reached their 181 target with just five balls to spare.

They appeared to be cruising it during a second-wicket stand of 94 between Byas and Darren Lehmann, but once the Australian was out for a nimble 52, Durham's bowlers applied an effective break.

Anthony McGrath and Bradley Parker were both out to tame shots, and if Byas had not survived a stumping chance to Martin Speight on 59, Yorkshire would have been in big trouble.

The game still seemed to be slipping away from them at 140 for four in 35 overs, with 41 still required, but Richard Blakey gave excellent support to Byas, who relieved pressure with a firm four over mid-wicket off Martin Saggers.

It was the 37th over with 23 required that proved the turning point, however, for after Neil Killeen had given away two singles and a wide, he was thumped high over mid-wicket for six by Byas.

Then Blakey saw his straight drive at Melvyn Betts slip through Saggers' fingers on the boundary edge and go for four, and his boundary off Killeen in the final over ended the match, the unbroken fifth-wicket stand bringing 47 off six overs.

Byas's solid innings lasted for 102 balls and he struck six fours and a six to make sure Yorkshire maintained their record of winning every one-day match away from home this season.

Lehmann, fully fit after his back injection, played some elegant shots in shaping 52 off 62 deliveries, including three fours, but he was out checking a drive at Paul Collingwood to give Mike Roseberry an easy catch at short extra cover.

Lehmann was at his versatile best throughout, for he also made an important contribution with the ball, his left-arm spin bringing one wicket at a cost of 33 runs.

He bowled in tandem with Richard Stemp, who pegged back Durham even more tightly, giving away only 19 runs while capturing the valuable early wickets of Nick Speak and skipper David Boon, both bowled.

When opener Roseberry was caught and bowled by Lehmann for 22, Durham were struggling at 60 for four, but they were taken to a reasonable score by Jon Lewis, who scored 61 from 75 deliveries.

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