Home is where the heart is for Durham ace Rushworth
Durham aim to make home advantage count as they seek to win their last two NatWest T20 Blast matches against Lancashire tonight and Derbyshire next Friday.
The possibility of being pipped by Yorkshire for fourth place in the north group was opened by a 49-run hammering at Headingley on Wednesday. But they remain ahead of their neighbours on run rate.
Durham are unbeaten at home and Sunderland-born seamer Chris Rushworth said: “It’s a great place to play and the crowds are improving. We hope they keep getting behind usandifwecanputonashow we will pull in even more. If we reach the quarter-finals anything can happen.”
After struggling for rhythm earlier this season, Rushworth has been in good form recently and is one of the competition’s most economical bowlers.
“If you bowl a good first over it sets the tone,” he said. “Bowling at the death is different because you can bowl your best ball five times out of six and still get hit for 20 with all the ramps and sweeps.
“I like to have a clear plan and stick to it. I know if I hit my areas the batsman is going to have to do something special.”
Durham were well below par on their sixth straight day of action at Headingley.
They declined to risk Paul Collingwood and rested Paul Coughlin, bringing in Jamie Harrison and Usman Arshad, the latter equalling the most expensive T20 analysis for Durham, matching the 63 conceded by Barry McCarthy in this season’s opening match at Worcester.
McCarthy is back in the squad tonight after impressing for Ireland in their one-day series against Afghanistan.