DURHAM sensationally knocked one-day kings Gloucestershire out of the C & G Trophy at Bristol yesterday, with Graeme Bridge winning the man-of-the-match award on his first senior one-day appearance.

But hopes of being rewarded with a home quarter-final were dashed when they were drawn away to Lancashire or Sussex on July 24 or 25.

Despite conceding nine runs, a wide and two byes off the penultimate over to set up a heart-stopping climax, Bridge finished with three for 44 as Durham won by three runs.

The fact that Gloucestershire failed in their bid for a hat-trick of triumphs in both the Benson & Hedges Cup - they contest the final on Saturday - and the senior one-day event also owed much to the bowling of Durham's other rookie, Mark Davies.

He and Bridge, both 20, had to bowl after Gloucestershire made an untroubled start to their pursuit of Durham's 232 all out.

Few teams have made so many in one-day cricket against Gloucestershire in the last three seasons, but it did not look like being enough for Durham's depleted attack to defend on a much better pitch than the one on which the teams contested the B & H quarter-final seven weeks ago.

Davies opened up with two maidens and finished with one for 31 in ten accurate overs, the most economical bowling of the match, as Durham reached the quarter-finals for the first time since their inaugural season in 1992.

A back problem meant Nicky Hatch became the latest addition to the bowling casualties, and Bridge learnt that he was playing only 30 minutes before the start.

"He's pretty fearless," said skipper Jon Lewis. "He did really well bowling into the wind, which no-one found easy.

"We played very good cricket in the last ten overs after we had let it slip a bit. We were what we want to be, which is like Gloucestershire. They have set the standard for defending totals and we were trying to emulate that.

"It's a very satisfying win but we have to go on from here - we want it to lead to bigger things."

There were no celebrations for Bridge, who learnt his cricket at Ryhope, as he revealed he had been given the task of driving the kit van back to Durham.

But he said: "The atmosphere in the dressing room afterwards was brilliant - the best I've ever known.

"A lot of people seem to get lost in second-team cricket after playing for England Under-19s and I don't want that to happen to me. Now I hope to get a game at Old Trafford on Sunday."

After being put in, Durham batted as though they thought 250 was their minimum requirement.

Left with only the tail, Lewis could glean only 17 runs from the last five overs on his way to a priceless 65 not out, and Durham were all out with four balls unused.

Gloucestershire sped to 66 before the first wicket fell to Paul Collingwood, then Bridge took a wicket with his fourth ball immediately after requiring treatment to his right hand after fielding a fierce drive.

Bridge bowled Kim Barnett off his pads and completed another over before briefly retiring to give over-worked physio Nigel Kent yet more bandaging to perform.

On his return Bridge was involved in another wicket when Matt Windows pushed him into the covers and Ian Harvey came almost halfway down the pitch to be run out by Collingwood's direct hit.

Durham were suddenly back in the game with Gloucestershire on 105 for three in the 27th over, but when Davies was rested after conceding 26 runs from eight overs the recall of Stephen Harmison did not have the desired effect.

Despite opening up with a wide, he had bowled quite well in his opening six-over spell, but two more wides followed on his return. Bridge followed up with two successive wides, then came three overthrows as Durham lost their grip.

The pint-sized duo of Windows and Chris Taylor put on 74 in 13 overs and victory was beginning to look a formality for Gloucestershire when Taylor lifted Danny Law into the hands of Michael Gough at deep mid-wicket.

Needing 54 off ten overs, the holders were still favourites, but Davies was recalled for the 44th over and Windows fell for 56 when he drove a full toss straight to Martin Love at wide mid-on.

In the next over Jeremy Snape tried to sweep Bridge and was bowled round his legs, then another tight over from Davies left the holders needing 28 off four overs.

Jack Russell went for a big hit off Bridge and was very well caught by Nicky Peng running in from long-on, then Law returned and had Mark Alleyne caught by Andrew Pratt.

With only two coming off Law's over, the target was 21 off two when Martyn Ball drove Bridge for six over long-off. It came down to nine off the last over, bowled by Law, and Ball looked fortunate to survive a run-out off the third ball. But two balls later left-hander Michael Cawdron hoisted a catch to Gough at deep extra cover and, with four needed, Law completed an excellent over by restricting Ball to one off the last delivery.

Law, whose opening five-over spell into the wind cost 29 runs, finished with three for 51.

Law also opened the batting and set the tempo which saw Durham maintain a rate of five an over until Collingwood was out with the total on 118 in the 24th over.

Law and Nicky Peng had 37 on the board after seven overs before Law became prematurely ambitious, advancing down the track and edging James Averis to slip.

In the next over Peng drove a sharp return catch to Alleyne, and when Love drove to cover the top three had fallen for 18,19 and 20.

Lewis emerged at 77 for three in the 16th over and held the rest of the innings together, hitting only two fours off 99 balls but always working the gaps skilfully for ones and twos.

He put on 41 with Collingwood, 52 with Gough and 34 with Martin Speight, but would have liked one of those partners to stay longer.

Collingwood survived a slip chance on nine to pull 6ft 2in seamer Cawdron for three fours in an over, but he drove well wide of off stump when Averis returned and was well caught by Russell for 38.

Gough made 26 in 14 overs before lifting off-spinner Ball to deep mid-wicket, then Speight employed the reverse sweep to good effect before Harvey returned for his last four overs and immediately had him lbw.

Pratt was also lbw, trying to sweep Cawdron, and then Bridge heaved across the line and was bowled by the first ball of the penultimate over.

Davies was yorked two balls later and Harmison's leg-side waft succeeded only in lobbing the ball up to give Russell an easy catch.

Durham's total looked about 20 light, but fears about their depleted attack proved unfounded as the rookies rose brilliantly to the occasion.