Foxes stifle Durham late on for T20 Blast victory

Jonathan Bushnell of Durham is run out during the Vitality T20 Blast match between Durham and Leicestershire Foxes at the Seat Unique Riverside in Chester le StreetImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Durham's Jonathan Bushnell is run out against Leicestershire Foxes at the Seat Unique Riverside

Vitality T20 Blast, Seat Unique Riverside

Leicestershire Foxes 140-8 (20 overs): Patel 48; Potts 3-20

Durham 130-8 (20 overs): Clark 53, Turner 49; Mulder 2-19

Leicestershire beat Durham by 10 runs

Match scorecard

Wiaan Mulder's 2-19 underpinned Leicestershire Foxes' 10-run win over Durham as they defended 140 in a thrilling Vitality T20 Blast match at Seat Unique Riverside in Durham.

The Foxes were under pressure at the halfway point having posted 140-8, including Rishi Patel's opening 48 off 44 balls and 3-20 from England Test quick Matthew Potts.

Durham appeared set for victory at 117-4 in the 17th over but Leicestershire were not to be beaten as they claimed four wickets for seven runs and defended 17 from the final over.

Ashton Turner hit 49 for Durham, who finished on 130-8, added to Graham Clark's 53 not out off 56 - but they were the only two batters to reach double figures.

Josh Hull's final over sealed Leicestershire's third win and consigned Durham to a third defeat.

Leicestershire started brightly, led by opener Patel, who posted his second successive 48.

Rehan Ahmed was run out at the striker's end by Nathan Sowter's throw from mid-on but the Foxes were encouragingly placed at 53-2 after seven overs.

Spin and pace from Durham's bowlers, including seamer Ben Raine with two wickets, put the squeeze on expertly.

Raine and Potts claimed all of their wickets in the latter stages of the innings as the Foxes fell from 95-3 in the 14th over to 128-8 in the 19th before a strong finish pushed them up to 140.

In reply, Durham struggled early on and slipped to 19-3 in the fifth over.

Hull had Alex Lees brilliantly caught behind by a diving Ben Cox and Mulder's seam had compatriot David Bedingham caught at mid-on and Ollie Robinson trapped lbw with successive deliveries.

Turner intervened, with the help of fourth-wicket partner Clark, who played wingman in an 85 partnership.

Durham were back in control but not home and hosed, especially when Turner was run out at 104-4 in the 16th over.

Raine and Paul Coughlin holed out off Ben Mike and Lewis Goldsworthy and things turned quickly.

Jonny Bushnell was run out and Potts bowled in a fabulous penultimate over from seamer Scott Currie, which only cost three. That left Hull with plenty of breathing space.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.