Kashif Ali, Ben Cox fifties arrange Worcestershire win over Durham

Aug 01, 2023 at 10:53 PM
Kashif Ali, Ben Cox fifties arrange Worcestershire win over Durham

Worcestershire 318 for 9 (Kashif Ali 76, Cox 57*, Trevaskis 4-50) beat Durham 276 (Clark 79, Bushnell 60*, Baker 3-53, D’Oliveira 3-55) by 42 runs

Worcestershire Rapids made a successful begin to their Metro Bank One-Day Cup marketing campaign defeating Durham by 42 runs at Seat Unique Riverside.

Kashif Ali was the star of the Rapids’ batting effort as posted 76 to anchor the innings. A superb hat-trick from Liam Trevaskis threatened to derail Worcestershire’s complete as he turn out to be the primary Durham participant to attain the feat in List A cricket. But Ben Cox added a brisk half-century to propel the Rapids past the 300-run mark.

The house facet made a vivid begin of their chase of 319 by a knock of 79 from Graham Clark. But, Josh Baker and Brett D’Oliveria mixed with six wickets apiece to dismantle the Durham line-up. Jonathan Bushnell took the sport into the dying phases, however the Rapids held their nerve to shut out a cushty win.

The Rapids have been put in by Durham skipper Alex Lees and D’Oliveira offered an opportunity from the primary ball that Bushnell put down at level. The identical fielder shelled one other powerful alternative to ship the opener on his method, and D’Oliveira settled in alongside Azhar Ali to succeed in fifty contained in the eighth over.

The house facet responded as Paul Coughlin eliminated D’ Oliveira, however the bowlers discovered life powerful within the early phases. Ollie Gibson overstepped twice, bowled a large, and was smashed for a six by Azhar Ali in a tumultuous second over. But the Durham seamer regained his composure to skittle the previous Pakistan worldwide.

The arrival of spin then put the clamps on the Rapids’ run fee as George Drissell and Trevaskis settled into a decent line and size, which introduced the wicket of Rob Jones. But, Kashif and Jake Libby offered the muse of the Worcestershire innings with a stand price 82 for the fourth wicket.

Kashif made his intentions recognized early on as he took the assault to Trevaskis and planted the ball over the rope with a dismissive strike. He accelerated the innings working at a run-a-ball and reached his second List A fifty along with his second most.

After Libby fell for 45, Kashif consolidated earlier than priming himself to push ahead once more within the closing 10 overs, starting with two sixes to take Drissell’s closing over for 19.

But Trevaskis created Durham historical past and turned the momentum of the Rapids’ chase with a sensational hat-trick. The left-arm spinner ended Kashif Ali’s good knock of 76 earlier than clear bowling Matthew Waite and Joe Leach to tear by the decrease order. Worcestershire wanted to scramble to push for 300 after being diminished to 248 for 7, and Cox delivered with a quick-fire 57 from 49 to steer his staff to a aggressive complete.

Durham made fast runs of their response as Clark discovered his rhythm with early boundaries. Lees gave the impression to be discovering his vary towards Gibbon, however the Rapids artificial the breakthrough to ship the Durham skipper on his method for 12.

Clark and David Bedingham shaped a strong partnership for the second wicket to stabilise the innings. Clark labored his method to a deserved fifty to proceed his spectacular kind from simply 44 balls. The two gamers have been set towards the Rapids tempo bowlers, however the introduction of Baker tempted Bedingham to tackle the boundary the place he was caught on the fence for 31.

Clark fell into the identical lure after surviving two dropped probabilities, presenting Baker along with his second wicket by the fast work of Cox behind the stumps.

The lack of the skilled duo allowed the Rapids to show the screw as Ben McKinney, Michael Jones and Trevaskis fell cheaply to ship the required fee above seven runs per over courtesy of spectacular bowling from the leg-spin of D’Oliveira.

Bushnell gave Durham a glimmer of hope along with his first List A fifty to take the sport into the ultimate 4 overs, however the guests closed out the victory with late wickets.