Lightning strike downs Jets

Durham’s NatWest T20 Blast hopes look over after a fourrun defeat to Lancashire at the Emirates ICG.

Lightning’s two England Lions men took the honours as holders finally showed some of last season’s prowess.

Liam Livingstone made an unbeaten 43 off 24 balls to lift the total to 176-3 and Durham were on target until Saqib Mahmood struck timber three times in four balls.

They were revived by an unbroken stand of 48 in 3.5 overs between Paul Coughlin and Keaton Jennings, but when Coughlin needed to hit the last ball from Nathan Buck for six it landed ten yards short at longon.

Durham finished on 172-5, virtually ending their hopes of qualifying for the quarterfinals, a target already looking beyond Lancashire when they arrived last in the north group.

After being put in, Lancashire worked the ball into spaces as they ticked along to 88-1 after 12 overs before doubling the score in the remaining eight.

Alviro Petersen found the ropes but when Lewis Reece tried to drive Coughlin he edged behind.

Karl Brown opened up on the return of Usman Arshad for the 13th over, taking 15 off the first four balls before Petersen drove well wide of off stump and edged behind for 42. Brown departed in the next over for 41, lbw trying to sweep Scott Borthwick, but Livingstone and Croft upped the momentum.

Durham’s top T20 scorer, Phil Mustard, made only eight before skying Jordan Clark to wicketkeeper Tom Moores.

Mark Stoneman smashed Clark for two big sixes wide of long-on in the sixth over but when Croft, the third of three spinners, brought himself on for the tenth over Stoneman was bowled for 36.

Scotsman Calum MacLeod offered Durham’s best chance of victory as he made 45 off 31 balls. But when stepped back to hit Mahmood through the off side he was yorked and the same fate befell Ryan Pringle and Gordon Muchall.

CoughlinhitMahmoodfora big six as the 19th over brought 16 runs, but the youngster still finished with 3-31 and Durham had too much to do.