Result: Durham Jets (174/8; Arshad 43; Carver 3/40) lost to Yorkshire Vikings (223/6; Lyth 87) by 49 runs
The competition for quarter-final places is heating up after Yorkshire Vikings posted their highest NatWest T20 Blast total to join level on points with the Durham Jets.
Man-of-the-match Adam Lyth’s blistering 87 led Yorkshire to 223/6, overtaking their previous best score against Worcestershire at Headingley in 2010.
The Jets started well but regular wickets ensured they were overwhelmed by the climbing run-rate, reaching 174/8 in their 20 overs.
Each batsman made double figures but Usman Arshad top-scored with 43 when the game was all-but up.
The Vikings’ batsmen started rapidly, with Lyth and David Willey putting on a huge opening stand of 64 in just 4.4 overs.
Lyth took three boundaries in the second over from Jamie Harrison and then Willey took up the challenge by smashing Arshad for two fours and a six as 37 came off the first 15 deliveries.
Willey had a life when Phil Mustard dropped a skier off Chris Rushworth before he was caught by Richardson.
Skipper Alex Lees turned Keaton Jennings into his stumps but Australian Travis Head, in his first home appearance for the Vikings, then gave sensible support to Lyth in a third wicket stand of 83 in nine overs.
Both batsmen hit further sixes as the stand but they were parted when Head tried to follow up with a second consecutive six at Harrison’s expense and was caught at long on by Muchall.
In the next over from Rushworth, Lyth was held on the boundary edge by Richardson for a career-best 87.
But the Vikings continued through Jack Leaning to reach their highest score.
Mark Stoneman and Mustard showed they meant business by each taking two fours from Tim Bresnan’s first over but Willey then had Stoneman caught at long on by Azeem Rafiq and Durham could never quite keep up with the chase.
Calum MacLeod was well caught low at mid-off by Lees when driving at Liam Plunkett, whose four overs conceded only 13 runs, and there was a remarkable first over from left-arm spinner, Karl Carver, whose first four balls brought him two wickets along with two sixes.
Mustard was held by Willey at long on and Muchall straight drove the next two deliveries high over the rope before clipping a catch to Bresnan at mid-wicket for 25.
Yorkshire’s fielding and catching were of the highest class, particularly Plunkett’s catch at long on to account for Keaton Jennings.
Arshad kept fighting right until the end by blasting two sixes in the final over from Will Rhodes before being caught for 43 from 23 balls.