Whirlwind Speight hits Irish bowlers

ROUND-up

Martin Speight exploited the new rules in the Benson & Hedges Cup yesterday with an innings Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuiya would have been proud of. The Sussex opener smashed 64 off a mere 26 balls against Ireland. Bill Athey "shared" a stand of 79, his contribution being two. Speight hit 12 fours and two sixes as his side, chasing 191, won by eight wickets with 30 overs to spare.

Yorkshire, set a daunting 290 by Worcestershire for whom Graeme Hick hit 95, won by six wickets thanks to all their batsmen bar their captain, David Byas chipping in. Martyn Moxon, Michael Vaughan and Michael Bevan all made half-centuries, Anthony McGrath made 43 and Craig White an unbeaten 26.

The highest total of the daywas Warwickshire's 369 for 8 against the Minor Counties and the finest chase was from Glamorgan who, despite being set 313 by the British Universities, won by eight wickets