Its been over 30 years since Mal Meninga was tearing up the English rugby league scene but people around the Liverpool area have long memories.Its a region where Liverpool and Everton dominate the sporting conversation, but mention rugby league to one of the regions many loquacious taxi drivers and theyll invariably bring up Meninga.The Kangaroos coach was at the peak of his career when St Helens pulled off the biggest signing in the clubs history by convincing him to join for the 1984-85 season on a big-money contract.He repaid them with a whopping 28 tries in 31 games and still to this day is regarded as one of the greatest imports to play in the English game.I loved my time living and playing at St Helens, Meninga told AAP.I used to come down to Anfield, which is just down the road, quite a lot when I wasnt playing, to watch Liverpool play.Craig Johnston, the Aussie midfielder, was there and carving it up and we became good friends.Liverpool were the top dogs at the time and I became mates with many of the players whod come down and watch our games.Unfortunately I broke my arm and couldnt go back and play for a second season. But its a time I look back fondly upon.Signing Meninga was a far from straightforward process for Saints, who faced fierce competition for his services.Veteran broadcaster Ray French, who despite being the BBCs main rugby league commentator at the time, was also a member of the St Helens board, and thanks to some help from Wayne Bennett managed to get the deal over the line.Saints had said to me theyd signed Mal just before I went out to Australia for the 1984 Great Britain tour, French told AAP.I was staying at the Pacific Hotel in Manly, but when I came down for breakfast I saw Gary Hetherington, the Leeds chairman,He said: Ray, weve just signed Meninga.So I made up an excuse, left the breakfast table and shot straight upstairs to phone Mal.He assured me hed only sign for me and to meet him in Brisbane in three weeks time for the second Test.When I got up to Lang Park I bumped into Wayne Bennett and he said: Ray, Leeds are here, what do you want me to do?So Wayne distracted them by taking them out to the field for a chat.While he was doing that I grabbed Mal and he signed in the clubhouse.French believes he hasnt seen a better and more influential player than Meninga during his 60-year association with the game.He was fantastic for us, there had never been anyone like him before over here and there hasnt been anyone since, he said.There is also a humility to Mal. 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Durham 156 for 6 (Stokes 56) beat Yorkshire 149 for 9 (Lyth 64, Wood 4-25, Rushworth 3-19) by seven runsScorecardMark Woods menace got Durham into a NatWest Blast semi-final - and there was no let-up once Finals Day dawned as he bowled Durham to a stunning seven-run victory against Yorkshire in a high-quality match at Edgbaston.Two ankle operations and nagging fears that his season might be over were pushed aside as Wood, once again looking as hostile as any fast bowler in the country, ended Yorkshires hopes of a treble with figures of 4 for 25, his best in T20, in three excellent spells delivered to order for Durhams captain Paul Collingwood.So the Blast final became a contest between two of the most financially stricken countries in the country - Northants and Durham - both of whom have had to rise above their issues and who proved far from bankrupt on the field on a Birmingham day of tormenting heavy showers.Yorkshires defeat also came with an injury to David Willey which will concern England ahead of the one-day series against Pakistan. A ferocious return drive from Mark Stoneman in his second over struck him on his left wrist, a technical chance that would have ended the involvement of lesser men. A break must be feared.Unlike in their quarter-final victory against Glamorgan in Cardiff, Yorkshire could easily cover the absence of an overseas player - Travis Head having been summoned by Australia for the one-day series in Sri Lanka - by the influx of three England batsmen: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance.Indeed, by fielding them all their balance was batting heavy, relying on three pace bowlers plus the spin of Azeem Rafiq and Adil Rashid with no seam-bowling cover. With Rashid scheduled to bat at No 10, there was an argument for omitting Ballance, England player or not, for an extra seamer, especially with the weather so grouchy.Such batting insurance, though, looked invaluable the moment that Wood took the new ball for Durham. Fit and fresh, recovered from an injury-disrupted season, the England fast bowler was a hostile proposition.There were nerves around in Yorkshires early forays: 30 for 2 with five overs spent. Willey could summon no heroics with the bat, removing his bottom hand as a leg-side swing at Chris Rushworth skied to extra cover. Roots charge-pull at Rushworth became a comfortable catch in the leg side. It looked as if I had my hands and feet on backwards - I couldnt get settled, Root said. Rushworth had shrewdly nipped in beneath the new-ball stormLeaky first overs from Usman Arshad and Scott Borthwick settled Yorkshire and even though Alex Lees dragged a googly from Borthwick to a pumped-up Ben Stokes at deep midwicket, Yorkshires 77 for 3 at halfway gave them a slight edge.But Collingwood, summoned Wood for a third over to devastating effect. He immediately cleaned up Bairsttow with an 89mph yorker and then Ballance followed for a second-ball duck as the Durham skipper, 40 years old and carrying several injuries, pulled off a brilliant diving catch to his left at leg gully.ddddddddddddWith 39 needed off four, Collingwood again hunted wickets. The admirable Rushworth returned to defeat Adam Lyth with a slower ball, caught at backward point for 64 from 42 balls. Jack Leaning, signalling in his stance his long-on intent against Arshad, failed to clear the boundary.The final assault never happened and, with 23 needed from two, Wood struck the stumps of Liam Plunkett and Tim Bresnan in turn to settle the tie.Durham were indebted to Stokes for setting Yorkshire 157. Stokes pulverised the leg side in his muscular 56 from 36 balls, batting at No. 3, until one of his few forays into the off side saw him make room against the offspin of Rafiq and, to his obvious irritation, crack a long hop to Bresnan at cover.Stokes had not played a competitive match since injuring a calf during the second Test against Pakistan almost a month ago and he only had permission to bat with England taking a conservative view ahead of their Royal London one-day series against Pakistan.Yorkshires lack of bowling options might have been exposed by Willeys injury. He does not easily grimace, and continued his spell after painkillers and a defiant slug of water. After leaving the field briefly, he returned to finish his overs - one of the better 0 for 25s of the season - much to the relief of Yorkshires captain, Lees, no doubt.By then the persistent squally showers had intensified, giving Willey time to strap an injured wrist which, if worst fears are realised, could rule him out of Englands limited-overs matches against Pakistan, a potential Royal London Cup final (Englands call had already excluded him from next Sundays semi-final against Surrey at Headingley) and Yorkshires Championship run-in.Durham were 60 for 2 in nine overs at the rain break, the tie evenly poised. Yorkshire could also thank Rafiq for that. Relishing his second coming at Yorkshire, his ambition to bowl his offspin in the Powerplay gives Yorkshire welcome flexibility and he dismissed Keaton Jennings in his first over, well stumped down the leg side by Bairstow, who adjusted superbly to a big flick off the pad. On the resumption, however, he a bungled stumping when Rashid drew Michael Richardson, on 3, down the pitch.Yorkshire were left with an uncomfortable period of spin with a wet ball which skidded on invitingly before the seamers could return for the closing overs. Stokes had no compunction in peppering the leg side, while Richardson hunted the off side until Rashid ended a stand of 72 in 42 balls with an lbw. ' ' '