Durham Cricket Academy qualified for the North Yorkshire South Durham League (NYSD) MacMillan Cup Final after victory in a high-scoring contest against Middlesbrough last week.
Result: Durham Cricket Academy (171/6; Rory Hanley 69; Luke Doneathy 53; Max Williamson 3-23) beat Middlesbrough (148/9; Nick Kwant 36; Jake Whittle 36) by 23 runs.
Durham’s Rory Hanley was exceptional during the day to hit 69 and take three catches to help the team reach their first final in the competition.
The Academy won the toss and elected to bat at Acklam Park but lost opener Jonathan Bushnell early for two as he was ran out by Ahsan Shrindal. Fellow opener Johnathan Pears showed his intent with a 14-ball 20 before he was also sent back to the pavilion from a direct hit run out.
Middlesbrough were on top at 38/3, but a magnificent 4th wicket partnership of 110 from Doneathy and Hanley had Durham set for a huge total on Teesside.
Hanley led the way with 69 from 45 balls which included five fours and four sixes supported by 53 from Luke Doneathy in 39 balls hitting seven fours and one six in the process.
Both Doneathy and Hanley fell in consecutive overs, as Leigh Beaumont and Jack Newby were the wicket takers to dismiss both of Durham’s high scoring batsmen in Durham’s total of 171/6 from 20 overs.
In reply, Matthew Oswell had batsman Jack Newby caught for 2, but Middlesbrough opener Nick Kwant was in good touch at the other end with 36 from 19 balls before he was dismissed by Amaan Ul Haq leaving the home side 58/2.
Max Williamson then picked up three wickets for 23 runs as he ripped through the Middlesbrough middle order as Boro struggled at 95-6 needing 77 to win.
Ahsan Shrindal (21) and Alfie-Taylor Clarke (15) offered some hope, but James Hindmarsh came to the forefront to dismiss both, as Middlesbrough couldn’t get over the line, finishing on 148/9, as the Academy young guns took the semi-final by 23 runs and progressed to their first North Yorkshire South Durham Final.