Fast bowlers, Phillips, Mitchell flatten Pakistan for 4-0

Rizwan, who scored 90 not out, was the lone spark for Pakistan in another disappointing game for their batters

Ashish Pant19-Jan-2024Unbeaten half-centuries from Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell backing up frugal two-wicket hauls each from Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson gave New Zealand a comfortable seven-wicket victory in the fourth T20I against Pakistan and a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.Sent into bat, Mohammad Rizwan was the lone spark for Pakistan in another disappointing game for their batters, in Christchurch. He scored an unbeaten 90 off 63 balls, while the rest of the batters managed only 61 off 55 and Pakistan reached 158 for 5 in their 20 overs.In reply, Shaheen Shah Afridi struck three times in his first two overs to have New Zealand under pressure for the first time in the series. But Mitchell and Phillips took their time in settling in before opening up their shoulders big time to help New Zealand coast to victory in 18.1 overs. Phillips remained unbeaten on a 52-ball 70 while Mitchell scored 72 not out off 44 with the duo adding an unbeaten 139 off 93 balls for the third wicket.

Rizwan, Babar light up powerplay

Pakistan were batting first for the first time in this series. But Henry put an early spanner in their works when he had Saim Ayub edging to first slip, where Mitchell took a straightforward catch on the second attempt.Rizwan, however, wasn’t going to get bogged down. Adam Milne, playing his 50th T20I, was taken for two successive fours, while Tim Southee also was given a similar treatment. Rizwan then dispatched Ferguson miles over deep midwicket, with Babar Azam also joining in on the fun as Pakistan raced to 51 for 1 in six overs.

Rizwan goes big, but middle order disappoints

Rizwan continued his merry ways, finding the gaps at regular intervals. But as has been the case with Pakistan’s batting this series, they failed to stitch partnerships. Babar fell to a 149.5kph Milne bumper that he could only mistime to Phillips at deep midwicket. Fakhar Zaman came in and sucked the momentum out of the innings, labouring to 9 off 15 before Ferguson put him out of his misery. Sahibzada Farhan, who replaced Azam Khan, lasted two balls as Pakistan slipped to 86 for 4 after 13 overs.Mohammad Rizwan stayed unbeaten on 90 but it wasn’t enough•AFP/Getty Images

However, Rizwan continued to play the lone ranger. He took 38 balls to reach fifty but with wickets falling at the other end, he focused on rotating the strike more than taking risks. That Pakistan got past 150 was down to Mohammad Nawaz hammering Milne for three successive sixes in the 19th over that went for 21.However, on a two-paced surface, 158 seemed a touch under par.

Afridi rocks New Zealand early

The skip in the step was back and so was the famous celebration. Finn Allen struck Afridi for two fours on the bounce, but on the fourth ball of the first over, he closed the face of the bat too soon on a full-length ball on leg stump to be caught at point. Two balls later, Tim Seifert’s feeble chip landed straight into the hands of Babar at mid-off. Afridi was not done yet. He then got a short-of-length ball going at Will Young, who struck a powerful pull but Nawaz at short midwicket flung to his right and plucked out a good catch. New Zealand suddenly found themselves in unfamiliar territory at 20 for 3 after 2.4 overs.

Phillips, Mitchell ace the chase

It was like a perfect template on how to set up a chase when the team has lost a few wickets early. Phillps was his usual busy self, collecting boundaries and sprinting like a gazelle between wickets. Mitchell was patient, initially, even when the required run rate breached the nine-run mark.New Zealand managed only 38 runs in the powerplay and reached 70 after ten. But importantly, they did not lose a wicket. Not that they did not give chances. A big moment in the game came in the tenth over when Mitchell mis-hit a sweep off Nawaz to deep backward square leg where Mohammad Wasim misjudged the catch with the ball falling almost at his feet. In the 13th over then, it was Farhan who dropped a dolly at long-on.Mitchell made sure he cashed in. With the required rated climbing, he got into overdrive finding gaps regularly. From scoring 14 off his first 16, he raced to his fifty off 34 balls with a six off Afridi. Phillips also got his half-century in 41 balls with both batters switching to carnage mode. The Pakistan bowlers looked clueless and the target was eventually achieved with 11 balls to spare.

Sydney BBL fixtures to move interstate due to Covid-19 border restrictions

The SCG and Sydney Showground had been due to host eight BBL matches later in January

Daniel Brettig05-Jan-2021Border closures and logistical complications related to Sydney’s Covid-19 outbreak are set to compel Cricket Australia to move a bracket of BBL games out of New South Wales, in a further hurdle for the governing body amid all the issues surrounding the SCG and Gabba Tests.Though the Sydney Test is set to get underway on Thursday with Australia and India playing out the remainder of the series under far stricter bubble conditions than they had previously needed to comply with – in order to satisfy the requirements of the Queensland government to allow the SCG match to preceded the final Test of the series in Brisbane – the BBL’s patchwork of fixtures are another matter.Eight matches are currently scheduled to be played in Sydney from January 13 onwards, four each at the SCG and the Sydney Showgrounds in the western suburbs. However, with indications that borders to NSW are set to remain closed until at least the end of January, CA looks increasingly likely to shift at least some if not all of these matches into a state with borders open to Victoria – South Australia and Adelaide Oval looking the most likely option.Related

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Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers, Perth Scorchers, Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat are the clubs presently slated to be travelling through Sydney to play in the scheduled matches. Adelaide’s presence in the BBL was set to conclude with a fixture between Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars on January 11, two days before the first of the Sydney games.A shift to Adelaide would mean that the Thunder, Sixers, Scorchers Hurricanes and Heat would be able to smoothly transit from their current camps in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia into SA from January 13 onwards, given open borders currently open between all those states and SA.Another complication for CA is that fact that any games in Sydney would need to be played, and teams accommodated, under the same sort of strict and costly quarantine conditions as those currently required for the Test teams, where an entire hotel is booked out and security staff hired to monitor it.CA is also monitoring circumstances around the selection of Melbourne fixtures meant to round out the regular competition in late January, although these games are believed to be less likely to move than those currently set down for Sydney. CA has always reserved the right to shift fixtures during the BBL in the event of further border and Covid-19 issues, and is also yet to announce where the five finals matches – scheduled to be played between January 29 and February 6 – will be hosted.In a further scheduling change forced by border restrictions, the opening seven matches of the Women’s National Cricket League – which had been due to be played between January 15 and 19 – have been delayed until late February and early March in a bid to enable a full tournament to be played.New South Wales had been due to travel to Adelaide and Canberra for their opening two matches.The WNCL season will now begin on January 25 with South Australia hosting Tasmania at Karen Rolton Oval. The final remains scheduled for March 27 although further changes could be required depending on the various state borders.

Warwickshire close to signing Che Simmons, 17-year-old dubbed 'new Jofra Archer'

Barbadian fast bowler has UK passport and impressed on trial with 2nd XI

George Dobell15-Jun-2021Warwickshire look set to pull off something of a coup in signing Che Simmons, a young fast bowler who has been dubbed the “new Jofra Archer”.Simmons, a 17-year-old seamer, was born and raised in Barbados. But he also holds a UK passport through his father and, having been recommended to Warwickshire’s director of sport, Paul Farbrace, by fellow Barbadian Ottis Gibson, was invited to play a few games for Warwickshire’s 2nd XI as a trialist.Having made an excellent impression, Simmons is expected to be offered a deal which might well include some type of scholarship in order that he can complete his education in the UK. He currently attends Combermere School, which has a rich history of producing top players. As well has current West Indies Test captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, Wes Hall, Clyde Walcott, Frank Worrall and Chris Jordan also attended the school. So did the singer, Rihanna.A fast bowler with a beautiful smooth run-up and action, Simmons has represented Barbados Under-15s and came to prominence by claiming all 10 wickets in an innings while playing for the Franklyn Stephenson Academy. He finished with the remarkable figures of 10 for 16 from 5.3 overs. Only two of the runs he conceded came off the bat.While good news for Warwickshire and, potentially, England, it might be seen as another setback for cricket in the Caribbean. While Archer and Jordan are the most high-profile cricketers to have opted for England ahead of Barbados in recent years, Warwickshire have another young Barbadian in Jacob Bethell on their staff. Some at Warwickshire believe Bethell, a left-arm spinner and batter, is the best young player the club has had since the emergence of Ian Bell.

Naseem Shah ruled out for a month with shoulder injury

Pakistan fast bowler suffered injury on Gloucestershire debut

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-2022Naseem Shah, the Pakistan fast bowler, has been ruled out for a month of his stint with Gloucestershire through injury.Naseem bowled 11 overs on his Gloucestershire debut against Northamptonshire in the opening round of the season before suffering a shoulder injury which rendered him unavailable for their fixture against Yorkshire last week.Related

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Gloucestershire confirmed on Wednesday that Naseem would miss their next four County Championship fixtures, but said he should be available for selection in their opening T20 Blast game against Middlesex on May 26. He will stay in Bristol for his rehabilitation.”Following discussions between the medical teams of both Gloucestershire and the Pakistan Cricket Board, it has been decided that a period of workload management is in Naseem’s best interest to allow him to get back to full fitness as quickly and safely as possible,” a statement said.Naseem had initially been signed for the first half of the Championship season and the Blast, though his availability may be limited if he is selected for Pakistan’s ODI series against West Indies in June.Gloucestershire have two other overseas players in their squad, Marcus Harris and Zafar Gohar, who will continue to play in the Championship during Naseem’s absence.

Munro 66*, Turner death bowling lift Rockets to vital win

Welsh Fire fall short in chase as defending champions leap from bottom of table to third

ECB Reporters Network14-Aug-2023Trent Rockets climbed off the bottom of the table with a nail-biting win over Welsh Fire, as bowler John Turner held his nerve with 14 required from the final five balls.He finished with superb figures of 1 for 22, while Rockets were able to set a competitive total thanks to New Zealander Colin Munro who smashed 66 off 35 balls after his team had been reduced to 40 for 4 early on. In the end they reached 152 for 6.The defeat is a blow to Fire’s hopes of a top three finish, as they let Rockets off the hook with the ball and never really got going with the bat. It came down to the last ball with Roelof van der Merwe needing to hit a six to win, but he could only manage a single as Fire finished on 148 for 6, Joe Clarke top scoring with 54 off 34.This was billed as Trent Rockets international top order batting against the equally international class of the Welsh Fire bowling attack, and the home side opted to bowl first to unleash that threat.It went the way of the bowlers early on, England’s David Willey dismissing both openers. Alex Hales got a thin edge through to wicketkeeper Clarke, who took a fine diving catch, while Dawid Malan was out lbw trying to guide the ball down to fine leg, a review showing it would have clipped leg stump.Joe Root started in typically busy fashion and also unfurled the ramp shot he has used so often this summer, but it was to get him out from a Jake Ball slower ball as the lack of pace saw the ball just spoon up to Clarke.When van der Merwe got his first ball to turn and dismiss Tom Kohler-Cadmore, playing down the wrong line, the Rockets were in serious trouble at 40 for 4 after 41 balls.Samit Patel hit van der Merwe for a 94-metre six, but then perished next ball trying to repeat the shot, this time top edging into the covers to be caught by Stephen Eskinazi.Munro should have been run out after a brilliant piece of boundary fielding by Harris Rauf, but Shaheen Shah Afridi tried to throw the stumps down when a simple throw through to keeper Clarke would have been enough.Munro then hit van der Merwe for two big sixes, with another six off Rauf taking him to his half-century off 27 balls. Despite that Pakistan ace Rauf conceded only 19 off his 20 balls, while Munro finished on 66 off 35 as he steered his side to a competitive total.Stephen Eskinazi was dropped by Daniel Sams off Turner on 5, however the bowler was not to be denied when he hit the off stump of Jonny Bairstow, the England man’s second low score in a row since returning for Welsh Fire as he departed for 3.Fire fell behind the required rate early on, struggling particularly against the swing of Luke Wood. The acceleration needed to come, but Eskinazi perished trying to hit Sams over the top, caught by Joe Root coming in from long-on.Luke Wells was dropped by Munro at deep square off Lewis Gregory on 3, but departed for 8 after Sams made no mistake on another skied effort off Ish Sodhi.Clarke and Tom Abell did not find things easy, but managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over without ever getting ahead of the rate, with Fire needing 34 from the final 15 balls. The first five of those went for no runs, with Abell run out and Clarke given out off the fifth. However it turned out to be a no-ball and a free hit, which Clarke hit for six to keep Fire alive needing 26 off the final 10.Glen Phillips hit 12 of those off Sams before being caught at long-off, leaving Clarke and David Willey 14 to get from the final set. But Rockets, and Turner, held their nerve.

Colin Munro 99* leads Brisbane Heat to massive opening-day win over Melbourne Stars

All eyes were on Glenn Maxwell after his heroics at the World Cup, but he could produce only a brief flurry in visible discomfort

Tristan Lavalette07-Dec-2023Opener Colin Munro smashed an unbeaten 99 before Brisbane Heat overcame a brief flurry from an injured Glenn Maxwell to thump Melbourne Stars in the BBL season opener at the Gabba.After a gutting defeat in last season’s BBL final, Heat produced an almost flawless performance in front of 20,000 satisfied fans. Munro gave them the perfect start by batting through the innings in a belligerent 61-ball knock that lifted Heat to a massive total of 214 for 3.But Stars couldn’t be discounted of producing a record chase on the ground with a powerful batting line-up led by Maxwell. All eyes were on him after his heroics at the World Cup, and he came to the crease early after openers Tom Rogers and Sam Harper fell to quick Michael Neser in the first over.Heat were suddenly anxious after Maxwell produced an extraordinary attack on left-arm quick Spencer Johnson in the fourth over. He smashed 18 runs in the span of four deliveries, but a wispy whip to the boundary caused him visible discomfort, although he hit the next ball for six over backward square leg.Maxwell sort medical attention twice, and had his forearm taped. He eyed producing another match-winning knock while batting in pain, but fell on his first attempt of the reverse sweep when he hit legspinner Mitchell Swepson straight to deep cover. The pressure fell on Marcus Stoinis, who had played in the first three T20Is against India in the aftermath of the World Cup, but he hit left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann to short extra cover.The dismissal left Stars in tatters at 52 for 4 in the seventh over, and they never recovered despite some lusty hitting from Hilton Cartwright. It was a forgettable start for Stars, who have been determined to rebound from last season’s wooden spoon as they bid for a drought-breaking title. The result leaves Stars already on the back foot, and they will be sweating on Maxwell’s fitness.Mitchell Swepson got 3 for 23•Getty Images

Stars must have entered the game confident, with Heat heavily impacted by the Prime Minister’s XI ongoing match against Pakistan in Canberra. They were without wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson and top-order batters Nathan McSweeney and Matthew Renshaw, but had the services of Neser, who had pulled out of the Prime Minister’s XI line-up due to soreness.Maxwell elected to bowl, but expectations of a two-paced surface didn’t eventuate as Munro and captain Usman Khawaja tore into Stars’ attack in perfect batting conditions. Khawaja, in what will likely be a rare appearance this season, had a let off in the first over after a leaping Rogers dropped a rocket at point.It was a bitter disappointment for England quick Olly Stone, who was a late addition to the Stars squad. Left-arm quick Joel Paris, recruited from Hobart Hurricanes, fared worse and was belted for 13 runs in his first over. With pace bowling having no impact on a hard surface as the batters looked to go aerial on almost every ball, Maxwell brought himself into the attack in the fourth over, something he has sometimes been reluctant to do in the BBL.But Munro was ruthless, and treated Maxwell’s offspin with disdain in an over leaking 19 runs as Heat ended the powerplay at 43 for 0. However, Maxwell provided a much-needed breakthrough when Khawaja holed out on 28 in the seventh over. Munro then took over with muscular batting and reached his half-century in style with a six off Pakistan legspinner Usama Mir.Stars were left to rue Rogers dropping another catch when he fumbled a high ball after running in from the boundary when Munro was on 58. Marnus Labuschagne, also playing a sporadic BBL match this season like Khawaja will be, was intent on turning the strike over to Munro, who continued to successfully target the straight boundaries.Labuschagne never quite got into rhythm, unable to enhance his reputation in a format he has been least successful in, but it didn’t affect Heat, who were aided by wayward bowling from Stone and quick Nathan Coulter-Nile at the death.Max Bryant finished with three straight boundaries, but Munro was left agonisingly short of his second BBL century. Heat posted their second highest total, and the momentum carried over in the field.

Agar and Johnson strike before New Zealand A fight back

Matt Renshaw earlier converted into a century while all the Australia A middle order chipped in

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-2023Wes Agar and Spencer Johnson made early inroads for Australia A on the second day in Lincoln before the New Zealand A middle order fought back.The visitors had declared at tea on 370 for 6 which included a hundred from Matt Renshaw alongside half-centuries for Tim Ward and captain Nathan McSweeney.Related

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It did not take long for Agar, who played two ODIs in 2021, to strike with the new ball when he found the outside edge of both openers, Sean Solia and Henry Cooper, during his opening spell.Johnson, the left-arm quick who has had a rapid rise this season after breakout performances for Brisbane Heat and South Australia, was more wayward – he sent down a bouncer that went for five wides in his first over and twice left wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson unable to prevent four byes – but when he returned for a second spell he had Dean Foxcroft caught on the leg side.That left New Zealand A in trouble on 47 for 3, but captain Tom Bruce and Cole McConchie stitched together an unbroken stand of 62 until bad light brought an early close.Mitchell Swepson’s seven-over spell was his first bowl in first-class cricket since early December since when he played the BBL and was then an unused member of the Test squad in India.Australia A had resumed on 155 for 1 and Renshaw converted his 92 into a second consecutive hundred for the A side after the one he made against West Indies in Canberra, playing under the Prime Minister’s XI name.He eventually fell for 112, trapped lbw from round the wicket by Scott Kuggeleijn, and when Ward might have had visions of joining him with a hundred he lost his off stump shouldering arms to Solia.All of the middle order chipped in as Australia A scored at a decent rate during the afternoon – the 60-run stand between Peirson and Campbell Kellaway coming in under 12 overs.

Albie Morkel joins Bangladesh as power-hitting coach

The deal is initially only for the ODI leg of Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2022Albie Morkel has joined the Bangladesh men’s national team as the power-hitting coach for the ODI leg of their tour of South Africa. On Tuesday, Morkel linked up with the Bangladesh touring party at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, where they are playing an intra-squad practice match.The BCB had expressed the desire to add a power-hitting coach to the support staff line-up soon after Bangladesh’s poor performance at the T20 World Cup last year.”He [Morkel] will be with the ODI team for a week or so. He will help the batters,” Jalal Yunus, the BCB’s cricket operations chairman, said. “We will see how it goes, and then decide what happens afterwards.”This is the second turn as a coach for 40-year-old Morkel, who played one Test, 58 ODIs and 50 T20Is for South Africa between 2004 and 2015, after playing the role of assistant coach for the Namibia men’s national team soon after retiring from the game in January 2019.BCB has been in the process of revamping the coaching staff of the senior men’s team. Currently, Khaled Mahmud is the team director while Russell Domingo is the head coach. Batting coach Jamie Siddons is working with the specialist Test batters in a separate camp in Cape Town, while Domingo and the rest – including Allan Donald, the new fast-bowling coach, and Morkel – are in Johannesburg with the ODI squad. Apart from them, spin-bowling coach Rangana Herath and fielding coach Shane McDermott are also with the squad.Bangladesh will play three ODIs against South Africa, as part of the ODI Super League, on March 18, 20 and 23. They will also play two World Test Championship matches from March 31.

Balderson ends Lancashire's red-ball drought with 261-run win

Allrounder takes four in each innings as Madsen battles to 95 not out for Derbyshire

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay02-Jul-2025 Lancashire 367 (Green 121, Jennings 106) and 406 for 6 dec (Turner 121, Balderson 82, Jones 63) beat Derbyshire 261 (Andersson 79, Madsen 70, Balderson 4-71) and 251 (Madsen 95*, Guest 46, Balderson 4-54) by 261 runs George Balderson ended Lancashire’s red-ball drought when he bowled them to a crushing 261-run victory over Derbyshire in the Rothesay County Championship match at Chesterfield.The all-rounder took 4 for 54 and eight in the game as the Red Rose finally celebrated a first Championship victory of the season with Derbyshire dismissed for 251 which ended their unbeaten run in Division Two.Set an improbable 513, skipper Wayne Madsen made an unbeaten 95 and Brooke Guest 46 but once the fourth wicket pair were parted, the hosts collapsed with Tom Bailey taking the last two wickets to finish with 3 for 39.The grey clouds over Queen’s Park suggested the conditions were good for the bowlers, especially Jimmy Anderson, and although the bat was beaten, Derbyshire survived the first hour in relative comfort.Madsen eased Anderson to the cover boundary on his way to his second fifty of the match which came off 86 balls and when the former England fast bowler failed to take a wicket in his four over opening spell, Derbyshire had achieved their first objective of the morning.With Anderson out of the attack, Madsen and Guest kept the board ticking over without taking any risks and the stand was worth 127 in 18 overs when Lancashire finally broke through.The decision to bring on Chris Green at the Lake End was rewarded when Guest tried to shovel the off spinner through mid-wicket, missed, and was lbw.That would have come as a relief to Lancashire who might have been starting to get a little anxious but they were soon celebrating again.Martin Andersson had top scored in the first innings but this time he got a good ball from Balderson that straightened to take the off stump.The morning got even better for the visitors when Anuj Dal, who has figured in several Derbyshire rearguard actions, tried to whip Green off his legs and was bowled.When Balderson again found just enough seam movement to bowl Zak Chappell, Madsen was in danger of being stranded and he saw another wicket fall in the last over of the session.Ben Aitchison edged Balderson low to second slip where Green took a good catch which meant Derbyshire had lost 5 for 33 in 11 overs.Madsen went into lunch unbeaten on 78, his eighth 50 in 15 innings this season, and it was now a question of whether he could convert that into three figures.He was denied by Bailey with the new ball which accounted for Blair Tickner and Jack Morley with Anderson taking the catch at third slip which sparked Lancashire’s long awaited celebrations.

Ollie Robinson, Will Rhodes keep Durham in contention

George Bell and Josh Bohannon’s hundreds not enough for struggling Lancashire

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay20-Aug-2025Captain Ollie Robinson and in-form allrounder Will Rhodes hit composed, match-clinching half-centuries as Durham maintained their Metro Bank One-Day Cup knockout hopes by beating struggling Lancashire by four wickets at Liverpool.Wicketkeeper-batter Robinson and Rhodes, in pursuit of 321, came together at 168 for 3 in the 30th over and calmly secured a third win from six in Group B. They shared 127, Robinson with 80 not out off 59 balls and Rhodes 75 off 68. Durham won with nine balls remaining.With two games remaining, they are eyeing a top-three finish. Lancashire, however, lost their fourth game in six and are way off the pace. Their wicketkeeper-opener George Bell’s excellent 104 off 115 balls represented his maiden first-team century.The Red Rose’s 320 all out saw Bell – aged 22 – star and Josh Bohannon became the county’s first batter to score back-to-back List A centuries since Liverpudlian Paul Horton in 2009. He top-scored with 106 off 102 balls having done similar at Kent on Sunday. Durham seamer Ben Raine excelled with 4 for 34 from 9.5 overs.This was Rhodes’ third fifty added to a century in this campaign, and Robinson is leading the side in place of club captain Alex Lees in order to build his leadership experience.Inserted, Lancashire raced to 50 without loss in four overs but were hurt by losing their last eight wickets for 65 inside the final eight overs of the innings. Michael Jones fell for a brisk 30 against his former county when he miscued a pull at Codi Yusuf’s seam to Emilio Gay running in from deep square leg.Will Rhodes plays forward•Getty Images

In excellent batting conditions, Bell and Bohannon shared 175 inside 29 overs. Bell was 35 when Bohannon came in, but the latter reached his hundred first, off 96 balls. His second fifty came in only 29. And when Bell reached his ton shortly afterwards, off 113 balls, the Red Rose were 251 for 2 after 41 overs.Bell and Bohannon were then both caught at deep midwicket slog-sweeping against the seam of Rhodes and Colin Ackermann’s spin as the Red Rose slipped from 255 for 2 in the 42nd over. Raine claimed the last three as Durham crucially came back well, with the the suspicion of Lancashire being light on runs.Lees and Gay made a steady start, with an 84-run partnership inside 15 overs broken when the latter miscued a pull at Tom Aspinwall’s seam out to Jones running in from deep square leg. While Aspinwall had been released by the Manchester Originals, Lancashire left-arm spinner Charlie Barnard couldn’t bowl having dislocated his right little finger diving to stop a boundary.Durham’s serene progress was checked when Lees, who went beyond 3,000 List A career runs during his 64, chipped to cover off Arav Shetty’s spin. And further so when Colin Ackermann on 39 flicked Aspinwall to midwicket with the score on 168 eight overs later.Robinson and Rhodes took Harry Singh’s off-spin to task as 22 came off the 35th over, including four boundaries, with Durham moving to 213 for 3. Singh was covering for Barnard’s absence, and this felt like a crucial moment. From there, Rhodes and Robinson cruised against a depleted but spirited attack.Rhodes reached his fifty off 48 balls, and when Robinson followed him there off 39 balls, the visitors were 258 for three in the 41st over. Their progress could not be halted even with Rhodes and then Raine falling late on in a Tom Bailey over.

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