Durham – 192-4 in 20 overs (Alex Lees 95*, Bas de Leede 40, Graham Clark 30; Salman Mirza 2/14, Tendai Chatara 2/38)
Mega Market Mountaineers – 139-7 in 20 overs (Timycen Maruma 45, Joylord Gumbie 42, Wellington Masakadza 15; Luke Robinson 2/28, Colin Ackermann 1/9, Nathan Sowter 1/23)
Durham won by 53 runs
A brilliant T20 best of 95 not out from Alex Lees propelled Durham to a 53-run victory over Mega Market Mountaineers in their first match of the Zimbabwe T20 at Harare Sports Club.
Durham chose to bat on winning the toss, and Lees and Graham Clark (30) put on 55 for the first wicket in six overs.
Bas de Leede then joined Lees and they added 91 in eight overs for the second wicket before Tendai Chatara bowled de Leede for 40 off 24 balls, in what was an innings of fine shots.
Lees dominated the strike and the scoring after that, but he could manage only a leg-bye off the last ball of the innings when he needed six for his century, as he finished unbeaten on 95.
His 95 came off only 59 balls and includes two sixes and nine fours.
Joylord Gumbie batted well for Mountaineers, making 42 off 38 balls opening the batting before he was the third man out at 55.
Timycen Maruma took over his role with an excellent 45 off 29 balls but was dismissed by Luke Robinson just shy of his half century but none of the other batters came off and the final score was only 139 for seven wickets.
Luke Robinson put in a quick spell claiming 2/28 from 4, while Callum Parkinson, Nathan Sowter, Ben Raine and Colin Ackermann all struck.