Australian quick Ben Dwarshuis defended eight off the last over to complete a thrilling come-from-behind Durham victory to beat Yorkshire and elevate themselves into joint fourth in the Vitality Blast’s North Group table.
Yorkshire, chasing 171, were cruising at 113 for two in the 12th over before leg-spinner Nathan Sowter bowled buccaneering Will Luxton for 33 and had Jordan Thompson brilliantly caught and bowled on the run towards long-on.
Left-armer Dwarshuis then claimed his first wicket for Durham in the last over and defended four off the last ball against George Hill. The Vikings, replying to 170 for six, finished on 167 for seven, handing Durham a fourth win in eight games – this by three runs. Yorkshire lost their fourth in eight.
Dwarshuis was the hero in only his third game.
Opener Graham Clark top-scored with 49 off 35 balls for Durham, while Adam Lyth top-scored for Yorkshire with 54.
Visiting left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty impressed with two for 26, a return matched by Durham’s excellent seamer Ben Raine. But Sowter, who also affected a run out, contributed massively to the comeback.
Considering Durham, who elected to bat, took 10 off the first over – a boundary piece for Clark and Alex Lees – Yorkshire did well to limit them to 44 for one after six overs.
Clark struck the ball sweetly, but David Bedingham struggled to get going amidst a run-a-ball 21, ended when he pulled Jafer Chohan’s leg-spin to deep midwicket – 59 for two in the ninth over.
Clark took back-to-back boundaries off Jordan Thompson to take the score to 88 for two after 12 but fell agonisingly short of a fifty when he dragged Moriarty on in the next, Durham now 91 for three.
And they were struggling to get going.
But that impetus did come in the final five overs, with Ollie Robinson, Bas de Leede and Michael Jones all finding or clearing the boundary, the former two contributing useful scores of 33 and 28 before falling to Thompson and Dom Bess.
Thompson had Robinson caught behind and bowled Raine, but 64 came off the last five overs.
Lyth continued the flow of runs at the start of Yorkshire’s chase with a couple of leg-side sixes before losing opening partner and captain for the night Dawid Malan.
He was brilliantly caught at cover by a diving Lees off George Drissell’s off-spin, leaving Yorkshire at 35 for one in the fourth over.
Malan, who scored only seven, was leading Yorkshire after Shan Masood was injured in the Roses win 24 hours earlier.
That dismissal brought Joe Root to the crease for his last domestic appearance before England Test commitments, and he breezed to 20.
But when he was caught behind off Raine’s seam – 60 for two in the seventh over – Durham’s hopes were raised.
Luxton tried his best to dash them in only his fourth career T20 appearance and his first of 2024.
He hit two leg-side sixes and a four down the ground as 19 came off Drissell in the 10th over, taking the Vikings to 100 for two.
It seemed as if they were, by now in an unassailable position. Not so!
Sowter bowled him and had Thompson superbly caught and bowled running towards mid-on. Lyth reached 50 off 35 balls but was also lbw to Raine. With those three dismissals, Yorkshire were 130 for five in the 16th and the game in the balance again.