THE murk enveloping the Racecourse ground yesterday restricted play to a freezing 40 overs on the opening day of Durham’s match against Durham University.

It was not the sort of warmup Steve Harmison required as he begins his build-up to the Ashes series, and although his opening spell was very accurate he remained wicketless as the students crawled to 102 for one.

The few spectators were wrapped in blankets and some of those abandoned their attempts to keep warm and departed before tea.

Umpires John Holder and Steve Gale felt conditions were fit for play only in the afternoon session, when Will Smith won the toss and invited the students to bat.

Mitch Claydon had Hartlepool’s Paul Johnston caught at first slip by Gareth Breese in the second over, but no further chances were offered.

The university captain, Tom Westley, who batted stubbornly for the MCC against Durham last week, again looked a very composed player as he made an unbeaten 57. He faced 123 balls and hit nine fours.

Opener Greg Smith, an England Under 19 player on Leicestershire’s books, survived the 40 overs and had five fours in his 39 not out.

Harmison conceded only 16 runs in his opening sevenover spell, but after playing in the West Indies, he had probably all but seized up because of the cold by the time he returned.

Liam Plunkett impressed in an eight-over spell that cost only 15 runs.

■ An innings of 91 by Durham’s Kyle Coetzer was not enough to save Scotland from defeat by Afghanistan in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa yesterday.

In the 50-over match at Benoni, the Afghans made 279 then Scotland were all out for 237 with ex-Durham and Yorkshire player Gavin Hamilton the only other batsman to reach 20. He scored 71 and while he and Coetzer were putting on 133 for the third wicket, the Scots looked likely winners.

They crumbled once Coetzer sliced to gully and must now beat the UAR on Friday to retain their one-day international (ODI) status, which is financially crucial for them.

Afghanistan can gain ODI status if they beat Namibia.

Both Coetzer and Hamilton are in Scotland’s 25-man preliminary squad for the Twenty20 World Championship in June.