Durham defeated by Leicestershire Foxes at Headingley
Leicestershire chalked up their first win in this year’s Vitality Blast, half-centuries from Gareth Delaney and Arron Lilley helping them on their way to a 30 run victory over Durham.
Batting first after winning the toss, Leicestershire quickly lost Harry Dearden, caught at cover after skying an attempted drive at Paul Coughlin, but Ireland international Delany, regularly clearing his front leg and targeting the off-side, hit the ball cleanly from the start.
He was fortunate not to be stumped when he advanced down the wicket to left-arm spinner Liam Trevaskis, but otherwise gave no chances in going to his half-century off 35 balls, including six fours and two sixes. He had made 68, from 45 deliveries, before Trevaskis finally got his man, top-edging a straightforward catch to Scott Steel short fine leg in the 13th over.
The momentum was maintained by Arron Lilley, and in some style. The Lancastrian also had a moment of fortune, on 17, when Rimmington at mid-off was unable to hold a hard-hit drive off the bowling off Brydon Carse, but hit two sixes and five fours in going to his 50 off 33 balls as the Foxes posted a challenging 177-6.
Needing nine runs an over, Durham struggled from the start. Leicestershire’s seamers judged the wicket well, taking the pace off the ball, and the spinners, led by left-armer Callum Parkinson, maintained the pressure. The key wicket was that of Alex Lees, and while the big left-hander could consider himself unlucky when having made 36 he pulled a delivery from Will Davis straight into the hands of George Rhodes at deep square leg, the pressure was already beginning to tell.
Parkinson, Leicestershire’s top wicket-taker in last season’s T20 Blast, picked up three wickets, the last a brilliant caught and bowled to dismiss Carse.