Durham 181 for eight (Carse 51, Thompson 4-44) vs Yorkshire 161 for six (Bairstow 67) – DURHAM WON BY 20 RUNS
Brydon Carse inspired Durham to a 20-run victory over Yorkshire Vikings in their first game of their Vitality Blast campaign at Emirates Riverside.
Carse took centre stage with the bat after it appeared the hosts had spurned an excellent platform. The 25-year-old scored his maiden T20 fifty to elevate Durham to a match-winning total of 181, despite career-best figures of 4-44 from Jordan Thompson.
Jonny Bairstow threatened the home side, but Carse made the decisive impact to dismiss the England man for 67. A late surge from Harry Brook proved in vain as the home side held their composure to get off the mark in the competition at the first attempt.
After losing the toss, Durham made a rapid start as Graham Clark dispatched David Willey for four-straight boundaries, including a massive six over square leg. The introduction of Lockie Ferguson brought about the breakthrough for the Vikings as the opener picked out Willey at mid-on for 34.
The home side enjoyed a solid start after the powerplay, reaching 54 for two. However, Thompson ensured that Durham could not maintain the pace of their innings, deploying slower deliveries to remove Ben Raine and David Bedingham.
Durham’s innings was in danger of petering out when Ferguson had skipper Cameron Bancroft caught behind for a scratchy 15. Impetus arrived in the form of Carse, who excelled with a variety of blistering. He notched his maiden T20 fifty from 30 balls, striking Thompson over the rope, but the bowler had his revenge with his final delivery to claim his best figures in the format.
The Vikings lost Adam Lyth in the second over of their reply, lifting his drive off Matthew Potts into the grasp of Bancroft. Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan kept Yorkshire in line with the run rate during the powerplay, but the latter departed two balls after restrictions were eased, losing his off-stump to Liam Trevaskis.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore threatened to spark the Yorkshire innings to life, smashing the ball onto the roof of the health club on the edge of the ground. His next attempt failed as Raine prised him out with his first delivery for 16. Bairstow remained composed, notching his first fifty of the campaign from 40 balls. Carse delivered for Durham to halt the Yorkshire momentum by removing the England opener, taking his middle stump out of the ground.
Harry Brook offered brief hope for the visitors with a brisk 41, but his desperate late attempt to slog Potts resulted in being caught on the rope. Durham held their nerve at the death to close out their first win of the campaign.