A brilliant Leicestershire bowling performance, led by South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder’s two for 19, underpinned a come-from-behind 10-run win over Durham as they defended 141 in a thrilling Vitality Blast clash dominated by the bowlers at Seat Unique Riverside.
The Foxes were under pressure at the halfway point having posted 140 for eight, including Rishi Patel’s opening 48 off 44 balls and three for 20 from England Test quick Matthew Potts.
Despite sluggish conditions, Durham would still have been confident of victory. But it wasn’t to be. Mulder’s seam accounted for two early wickets as they slipped to 19 for three and failed to recover, falling short of chasing 17 off the last over.
Ashton Turner hit 49 for Durham, who finished on 130 for eight, added to Graham Clark’s 53 not out off 56. But Josh Hull’s final over sealed Leicestershire’s third win and consigned Durham to a third defeat. Both have played five.
Inserted, Leicestershire started brightly, led by opener Patel, who posted his second successive 48.
Left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson had Sol Budinger caught behind – 10 for one after five balls – but Patel and Rehan Ahmed (20) played with intent.
One Ahmed ramped boundary over the keeper off Jonathan Bushnell’s seam was particularly memorable.
Even when Ahmed fell run out at the striker’s end by Nathan Sowter’s throw from mid-on, the Foxes were encouragingly placed at 53 for two after seven overs with Patel set.
But spin and pace off, including seamer Ben Raine with two wickets, put the squeeze on expertly – and boundaries were limited.
Patel hit Sowter’s leg-spin for six over long-on but was bowled next ball aiming to slog-sweep the same bowler – 90 for three in the 13th.
The good work of spinners Sowter and Parkinson, who struck once apiece, opened the door for the seamers to burst through.
Raine (two for 28) and Potts claimed all of their wickets in the latter stages of the innings as the Foxes fell from 95 for three in the 14th over to 128 for eight in the 19th.
Raine removed overseas duo Mulder and captain Peter Handscomb, lbw and bowled – the latter for 26, and has now taken seven wickets in his last two Blast appearances.
Potts had Louis Kimber caught and bowled Ben Cox and Lewis Goldsworthy.
But wickets continued to fall to keep this game in the balance, with Durham slipping to 19 for three in the fifth over.
After towering quick Hull had Alex Lees brilliantly caught behind by a diving Cox, Mulder’s seam had compatriot David Bedingham caught at mid-on and Ollie Robinson trapped lbw with successive deliveries.
However, that was when Turner intervened, with the help of fourth-wicket partner Clark, who played wingman in an 85 partnership.
Turner slog-swept spinners Goldsworthy and Ahmed for two big sixes over midwicket.
Durham were back in control but not home and hosed, especially when Turner was run out at 104 for four in the 16th.
Raine and Paul Coughlin holed out off Ben Mike and Goldsworthy, and things turned quickly.
Bushnell was run out and Potts bowled in a fabulous penultimate over from seamer Scott Currie, which only cost three. That left excellent Hull – one for 16 from his four overs – with plenty of breathing space.
And despite Clark reaching his fifty, he was unable to find the boundary at the end. It proved costly.
Durham bowled well, but Leicestershire were even better.