Result: Derbyshire Falcons (164/7; Reece 66; Coughlin 4/22; 2 points) beat Durham Jets (161/7; Poynter 61*; 0 points) by three wickets
Standout performances from Stuart Poynter & Paul Coughlin could not prevent Durham Jets from slipping to a final over defeat against Derbyshire Falcons.
Poynter’s career-best 61 not out, his first Twenty20 half century for club or country, hauled the Jets up to 161 after the loss of four wickets inside the powerplay overs.
Captain Coughlin then backed up his wicketkeeper’s efforts with four wickets, including one in the final over as the Falcons were made to work for every run.
But the skipper was left with too much to do in defending two from the final over as Daryn Smit hit the third ball for four to secure a win for the quarter-final chasers.
Luis Reece did most of the damage, recovering from a dropped catch to score 66 from 49 balls.
After electing to bat first, Durham’s innings began badly with Keaton Jennings run out by a direct hit from midwicket in the first over and Graham Clark LBW going back to Wayne Madsen in the third.
Michael Richardson went for a duck in the fourth when Hardus Viljoen side-footed the ball into the stumps in his follow through and although Tom Latham twice pulled the South African for four, the Jets hopes of a substantial total were dented when he swung Matt Henry into the hands of deep midwicket in the last ball of the powerplay.
Jack Burnham & Coughlin added 38 before the Jets skipper was caught behind trying to pull Ben Cotton and the Falcons looked in control when Burnham was caught at third man in the 17th over.
But Poynter had already lofted Imran Tahir for six and he drove and pulled two more from Cotton in the 19th over to reach 50 from 28 balls.
A full toss from Henry was dispatched over deep point for his fourth six and when he late cut the last ball for four, 35 had come from the final two overs.
The Falcons lost Billy Godleman in the second over despite replays showing James Weighell was close to a no ball & after Matt Critchley pulled Chris Rushworth for six, he miscued to midwicket to reduce the home side to 33/2 in the 5th over.
Madsen’s wicket was key and he moved smoothly to 24 but then swung Ryan Pringle to wide long on.
Reece, dropped at deep cover on 21, pulled Jennings for six but the Jets were building pressure which told when Alex Hughes top edged a pull in the 15th over.
The decisive two overs followed, however, as Reece took two fours from Weighell as 16 came from the 16th over, before Henry pulled Usman Arshad for six in an over that cost 25.
Wickets fell in the closing overs as Henry holed out in the deep & Reece dragged Arshad onto the stumps before Brodrick’s final over jitters kept Durham in the game.
However, the game ended in defeat & the Jets will travel to Northants Steelbacks to complete this year’s NatWest T20 Blast.