Carse injury mars another impressive display from Nottinghamshire
Durham suffered a crushing 78-run Vitality Blast defeat against Notts Outlaws as the game was marred by a nasty injury to Brydon Carse.
The pace bowler was hit in the face by an Alex Hales drive when he slipped in his followthrough in the fourth over and played no further part in the match.
Ben Duckett, with an unbeaten 74 and 43 not out by Steven Mullaney propelled theOutlawsto221-4whichwas far too much for Durham. They collapsed to 59-6 and were bowled out for 143 in 16 overs, with Calvin Harrison taking 4-36 as the North Group winners claimed a ninth victory.
Durham assistant coach Alan Walker confirmed that Brydon Carse had stitches in an ear wound, but was not seriously injured, saying "Brydon tripped up in his follow through and couldn't protect himself. He's had a couple of stitches and thank fully should be ok. It's been a disappointing end to the T20 and now we've got to draw a line under it and start a new competition with a few fresh faces."
Joe Clarke, awarded his Nottinghamshire cap before the game, and Hales gave the Outlaws early momentum before both fell in Van Meekerelen’s second over.
Clarke skied to point and Hales, missed on 14, failed to clear mid on as the Outlaws ended the powerplay on 70-2.
Although Tom Moores was lbw first ball to Scott Borthwick, Duckett and Samit Patel got the Outlaws back on track by adding 67 in 7 overs.
Duckett swept Liam Trevaskis for two fours and a six and made Durham pay for dropping him on 28 when Alex Lees spilled a chance at deep midwicket.
Matty Potts held a much harder catch running in from long on to remove Patel for 34, but that only opened the way for Mullaney’s brutal late onslaught. He pulled Graham Clark’s leg spin for three sixes in the 15th over which cost 24 and he and Ducjkett plundered 83 to take the Out laws to an imposing total.
Any chance Durham had of chasing it down vanished when they lost four wickets in the powerplay with Clark and Lees both failing to score.
David Bedingham struck some defiant blows before he skied Dane Paterson and after Cameron Bancroft was york ed by Zak Chappell, Harrison removed Ben Raine and Borthwick in the 9th over.
Potts at least went down swinging, heaving Patel for three sixes in the 13th over, but Harrison wrapped up the win with four overs to spare.