Durham Academy enjoyed a comprehensive victory away to Richmondshire in the first round of the North Yorkshire South Durham MacMillan Cup with Freddie Fallows scoring a terrific century to propel the away side to a 120-run victory.
Durham won the toss and elected to bat, but the openers could only make 19 for the opening partnership as Charlie Coulthard fell for 10. Dan Hogg- who went on to make 39, was joined by Freddie Fallows who made an indispensable unbeaten 109.
The pair made 54 for the second wicket before Dan Hogg was stumped by Richmondshire wicket-keeper Dan Hodgson. Fallows received further support from Haydon Mustard- who made 24 as they combined for a partnership of 47.
Fallows then went on to take control of the innings as he scored 71 from his next 23 deliveries, with partners Robbie Bowman and Luke Symington playing second fiddle. The 19-year-old finished with 109 not out from 45 balls in an innings featuring six fours and 10 sixes striking at an incredible 242.
Durham finished with another 54-run partnership to end on 219 for four from 20 overs, with Fallows making up almost half of the runs.
Richmondshire’s chase didn’t get off to such a positive start when George Darwood dismissed Dan Hodgson with the hosts on 12. Brandon Glover and Michael Layfield put on 27 together before the latter was dismissed by Darwood again.
Sebastian Hughes-Pinan then picked up the wicket of Glover, the first of his three victims to put Richmondshire 42 for three. Durham Academy then piled further pressure onto the North Yorkshire side as they took three wickets for the next five runs, leaving the hosts 47 for six.
Matthew Price and Sam Wood scored 17 apiece for the hosts as they compiled 30 runs together before Fallows dismissed the former to claim his first wicket of the match, putting Richmondshire 79 for 7.
This sparked another cluster of wickets, with Fallows claiming his second. He dismissed Tom Stockton for a duck before Jack Brassell picked up his first of two wickets to leave the hosts 81 for nine.
The final partnership was worth 18, bringing Richmondshire up to 99 before Brassell tied up a 120 run Durham victory with 14 balls remaining.