Result: Yorkshire Vikings (157/6; Brook 38; Collingwood 3/27) beat Durham Jets (147/6; Latham 42, Clark 39; Bresnan 2/19) by ten runs
Durham Jets’ home Vitality Blast campaign started with a narrow ten-run defeat to Yorkshire Vikings in front of a bumper crowd at Emirates Riverside.
The Vikings elected to bat, and although they struggled for timing in large portions of the innings, late striking from Jonathan Tattersall and Bresnan guided them to a total of 157-6 from their 20 overs.
Durham appeared in control of their chase courtesy of a solid start, but they were to lose wickets at vital times of the innings as pressure from Bresnan and Steven Patterson forced mistakes from their batting line-up. Bresnan held his composure in the final over to secure the win for the visitors.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore blasted an innings of 164 on his last visit to the Emirates Riverside. On this occasion he lasted just six deliveries when he was caught by Paul Collingwood at first slip in James Weighell’s first over. Harry Brook found his form at the crease with three boundaries early in his innings.
Pressure started to build on the Vikings’ batsmen as Collingwood, Imran Tahir and Will Smith dried up the boundaries. Brook’s attempt to cut loose from a Collingwood delivery resulted in his dismissal for 38 when he was caught by Weighell at long-off. Ballance ended his side’s boundary drought at 26 balls, but he became Collingwood’s next victim as he looped a catch straight back to the veteran all-rounder with a failed ramp shot.
Yorkshire’s struggle to find the rope continued as they endured a 27-ball drought before Tattersall found a gap in the field. He used guile and power to propel the Vikings’ innings over the 150-run mark with the aid of Bresnan as Weighell and Rimmington proved to be expensive in the closing stages. Rimmington struck in his final over to remove Tattersall for 36, but the visitors posted a competitive score.
Durham skipper Latham got his side off to a rapid start in their response, drilling Brooks for four-straight boundaries from his first over. The home side made steady progress to reach 42 without loss at the end of the powerplay. Clark notched the first six of the innings in the ninth over, planting an Adam Lyth delivery into the stand over deep square leg.
The Jets positioned themselves in a solid position, but Yorkshire began their fightback after the halfway stage. Latham was to fall for 42, slicing a pull shot to Jack Leaning on the legside boundary. Clark then followed for 39 in a similar manner as he attempted to drive Matthew Fisher over the rope, only to be caught by Lyth.
The Vikings kept the pressure on as Liam Trevaskis was run out for only one, setting up a tense finish. Bresnan turned the match in the favour of the visitors by striking twice in two balls to remove Smith and Collingwood. Durham required 15 runs to win from the final over, but Bresnan held his nerve to secure Yorkshire’s second win of the competition.