Result: Worcestershire Rapids (270/8; D’Oliveira 73*, Coughlin 3/36; 2 points) beat Durham (255/9, Clark 114; 0 points) by 15 runs
Graham Clark scored a maiden List A hundred but Durham fell to a 15-run defeat against the Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.
An opening stand of 122 in 24 overs between Clark and Keaton Jennings put Durham on course to chase down the total of 271 set by the hosts.
But former all-rounder John Hastings and Daryl Mitchell claimed three wickets apiece to turn the game on its head after middle-order wickets sent the run-rate & pressure spiralling.
Durham now must beat the Lancashire Lightning on Tuesday to retain any hope of claiming the third & final qualification spot, having been leapfrogged by the Notts Outlaws after their victory over Lancashire at Trent Bridge.
If Durham only gain a point on Tuesday night by way of an abandonment or tie, Keaton Jennings’ side could still progress should the Outlaws lose & the Leicestershire Foxes fail to beat the Yorkshire Vikings.
But it was rough justice on Clark at New Road, who followed up his 92 against the Outlaws on Thursday with another fine knock.
Clark & Jennings were relatively untroubled although the latter had a let off on 19 as keeper Ben Cox spilled a chance when he dived across Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
Clark went to his half-century off 66 balls and the 100 came up in the 20th over before Moeen Ali made a breakthrough for the home side as Jennings went for a reverse sweep & it bobbled to first slip. On review, it looked as though the skipper may have hit it into the ground.
Mitchell then bowled Michael Richardson after he pushed forward & Brett D’Oliveira held onto a return catch from Cameron Steel, before Hastings brought about the downfall of Paul Collingwood, who perished to a fine return catch.
Then three wickets tumbled in three overs – the third of them being the prized wicket of Clark for 114 off 128 balls with two sixes and seven fours. He holed out to long on off Mitchell, who also disposed of Ryan Pringle while Hastings sent back Paul Coughlin.
Hastings removed Stuart Poynter as the run-rate began to spiral out of control & Jack Shantry cleaned up James Weighell in the penultimate over.
The Rapids innings centred around a first half-century of the campaign from D’Oliveira after they had been put into bat.
The all-rounder ended unbeaten on 73 from 68 deliveries with three sixes and four fours on the same wicket used for Friday’s clash with Warwickshire.
Collingwood once again bowled economically, bowling ten overs on the trot and conceding only 43 runs, while he also had Joe Clarke trapped LBW.
But it was medium pacer Coughlin who enjoyed the most success with the ball in returning career-best figures of 3/36 in his nine overs.
His first was a gift as Mitchell steered him to third man before Hastings & Joe Leach holed out towards the end.
Left-arm spinner George Harding also impressed, first taking a low caught & bowled change to remove Kohler-Cadmore before Ross Whiteley launched him to Richardson in the deep.