DURHAM’S LATHAM LEADS FROM THE FRONT
CAPTAIN HELPS DURHAM MOVE OFF THE FOOT OF THEIR ONE-DAY CUP GROUP WITH A FIVE-RUN WIN OVER NORTHANTS
Durham’s bowlers produced a fine comeback in the field to keep their Royal London One-Day Cup hopes alive with a five-run win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
Tom Latham made 86 in 93 balls to steer Durham to 256 for seven on a slow wicket before Will Smith and Matt Dixon induced a Northants collapse of four for 20 in five overs.
Sixteenwereneededfrom the final over and, despite the first ball disappearing for six, Nathan Rimmington held his nerve as Northants could only make 251 for nine.
As in their previous chase against Lancashire on Wednesday, the home side were in complete control of the chase at 167 for three in the 37th over, with Alex Wakely and Adam Rossington sharing a stand of 129 for the fourth wicket to revive Northants from 38 for three.
With the weather seemingly closing in, they played carefully to stay ahead of the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern score but could never bring down the asking rate for the full 50-over chase.
As wickets fell, the required rate spiralled and even though Rory Kleinveldt kept Northants alive with 41 off 27 balls including three fours and two sixes, the task proved beyond them.
Wakely made 79, his highest score of the season and Rossington also made a half-century after playing the sweetest of straightdrives for the innings’ first six before skipping down to lift another maximum over the bowler’s head.
But having lifted Smith over mid-off for four and then over midwicket for six, he holed out to deep midwicket for 66 as Durham regained hope. Smith soon trapped Luke Procter lbw trying to reverse sweep.
Dixon then produced two wickets in four balls. With his first delivery back into the attack, Wakely slapped straight to mid-on before a slower ball deceived Steven Crook and removed his middle stump.
The Durham innings also swung back and forth and it needed a vital 86 from 93 balls from captain Latham to steer the visitors to a competitive score on a slow wicket.
He eventually slapped a slower ball from Kleinveldt straight to extra-cover for 86 after sharing partnerships of 90 for the fourth wicket with Smith and then 62 for the fifth wicket with Stuart Poynter - stands that saw Durham recover from 35 for three.
And when Durham were in need of a late kick Gareth Harte, playing just his second List A match, provided one.
He slog-swept White for the first six of the game and swung Sanderson to the midwicket fence, before driving the same bowler through the covers.
In the final over he heaved Kleinveldt over the cow corner fence to help add 48 runs in the last five overs - a late rally that proved decisive.
Durham captain Latham said: “It’s very satisfying to come here and win a close game that ebbed and flowed.
“We lost early wickets but got a couple of partnerships together and then upped the rate at the end. We would have liked a few more but had a competitive score and the bowlers did the job.”