THE Leicestershire huddle became increasingly animated yesterday as Vince Wells halted a head long slide towards defeat with three wickets in five balls. But a last-wicket stand of 26 almost made them pay for conceding an astonishing 52 extras.

Durham had raced to 87 for one in the 13th over when Wells suddenly became the sultan of swing, trapping John Morris lbw for 48, made off 44 balls. Despite being even further forward than Morris, David Boon was adjudged lbw to the next ball and then Paul Collingwood, playing to leg, edged to gully.

Wells later moved one away to trim Jon Lewis' off bail and finished with four for 18 before Nick Speak led a revival helped by some wayward bowling.

With acting captain Phil Simmons sending down seven of the 17 wides and bowling four no-balls, such profligacy was not good news for Leicestershire in their build up to Saturday's Benson and Hedges final. Nor was the fact that David Millns conceded 26 runs in his three overs. With Chris Lewis and Alan Mullally resting, Millns had the chance to press his claims for an appearance at Lord's after his lengthy illness. But he was continually driven by Morris, who scored his runs off fewer balls than it had taken him to get off the mark in the championship match on Thursday.

Wells's bowling apart, it was not an especially impressive performance by Leicestershire, who never came to terms with a slow pitch and were all out with 10 balls unused, as were Durham.

Neil Killeen was last out, caught at the wicket off Jon Dakin, after reviving Durham with a top-edged six over third man plus four through extra cover off Dakin in the 36th over.

Paul Nixon, Leicestershire's top scorer with 33, was dropped on 11 and 21 in an otherwise disciplined fielding performance by Durham. The major difference was that four Leicestershire players got into the 20s, while six of Durham's top eight scored eight runs between them.