Vital contributions from Joe Cracknell and Naavya Sharma helped Middlesex beat Durham by three wickets in a Metro Bank One Day Cup thriller.
Durham suffered an early blow as they lost England opener Emilio Gay to a shoulder injury, but they recovered well as Alex Lees hit a super century. Will Rhodes then hit a 35-ball fifty to put the hosts in a good position, but Sharma fought back with four wickets as Durham made 303 for seven.
Middlesex captain Ben Geddes made a half-century to put his side in the driving seat while chasing 304. Cracknell made 84 to take his side close to the target, but Durham fired back with late wickets. However, Toby Roland-Jones played a vital hand to take Middlesex over the line in the final over.
Middlesex won the toss and elected to bowl first, and Durham suffered an early blow as Gay departed the field with a shoulder injury.
Ollie Robinson joined Lees in the middle and he produced a fluent cameo before Henry Brookes got him lbw.
Lees started to motor after Stokes joined him at the crease and the opener passed fifty. Ben Stokes looked like he was finding his groove, but he smashed a full toss from Hollman in the direction of Geddes, who produced an excellent catch at mid-on.
Lees continued to accelerate and the left-hander notched up his second century in this year’s competition. However, he was dismissed soon after, with Brookes getting the opener caught on the legside boundary.
Rhodes picked up the mantle from Lees as he smashed 17 off a Noah Cornwell over and he passed fifty off just 35 balls, but the all-rounder chipped one straight to cover off the bowling of Sharma soon after.
The visitors’ comeback continued as the impressive Sharma picked up the scalps of Kasey Aldridge, Colin Ackermann and George Drissell, set Middlesex a target of 304.
The visitors’ chase got off to a good start, but Lees produced a sublime one-handed grab at point to hand Luke Robinson the scalp of Nathan Fernandes.
Geddes came to the crease and found the boundary with ease as his side took chunks out of Durham’s total, but he lost Josh de Caires at the other end as the opener holed out to mid-on off the bowling of Aldridge.
Geddes notched up his fifty in quick time, but Durham had a huge chance to claim a third wicket, as Cracknell pulled a Rhodes delivery straight to Shafiqullah Ghafari on the boundary but he palmed it over the ropes.
Cracknell was making Durham pay for dropping him as he passed fifty, but Durham did get a third as Ghafari bowled Geddes for a vital 77. Cracknell took Middlesex closer to the target but he was dismissed by James Minto.
Stokes then bowled Hollman to swing momentum back to Durham, and Robinson bowled Jack Nelson. Stokes accounted for Zafar Gohar, but some late hitting from Roland-Jones and Brookes secured Middlesex a huge win.
Durham Cricket Men
Middlesex Men
