Leicester lead the way after defeating Durham

20 July 2017 11:38

Leicester secured their fourth Natwest T20 Blast victory from four after a 27-run win over Durham to remain top of the North Group.

Each of those wins have also come away from home but, against Durham, the latest unfolded after they finished on 144 for eight despite having been 100 for two.

Mathew Pillans struck two fours, amid four leg-byes and 21 off Leicester's final two overs, before which Durham had only managed 117 for eight.

Bowlers Colin Ackermann and Callum Parkinson each took two wickets to reduce the Jets to 39 for five, and the latter added a third, ending a stand of 30 when he bowled Usman Arshad to tee Leicester up for victory.

Durham's captain Paul Coughlin had perhaps their greatest impact when securing an unbeaten 42, but it did little to lift them from the bottom of their nine-strong group, where they have lost all three fixtures.

In the South Group, Matt Coles took the first hat-trick of this summer's competition but still experienced defeat by 16 runs as Middlesex overcame Kent.

The seamer had dismissed James Franklin and John Simpson before bowling Tim Southee in the final over of their opponents' 179 for eight.

Brendon McCullum hit six sixes in his 51-ball 88 for Middlesex, after which Kent did not convince in the process of reaching 163 for eight, struggling to recover from their start when Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly were lost early on.

McCullum, the former captain of New Zealand, had only scored 36 in his previous four innings for Middlesex this summer. After being dropped by Kent captain Sam Northeast on 19, he secured his half-century in 30 balls, and hit nine fours, before being bowled by Calum Haggett.

Middlesex sit fifth, with their hopes revived, with Kent sixth.

Jofra Archer inspired eighth-placed Sussex to inflict Hampshire's first defeat and earn their first win of the competition.

The fast bowler recorded figures of four for 18 from his four overs in the process of restricting Hampshire, who chose to bat first after winning the toss, to 126.

Chris Nash and Ben Brown combined for an 82-run stand, and Chris Jordan struck the winning runs as their six-wicket win was confirmed with 16 balls remaining.

Tom Alsop, on his first appearance in the competition, was the hosts' only batsman to impress as he combined with Lewis McManus for a partnership of 48, in addition to hitting back-to-back sixes.

Sussex gradually eased to victory, despite their underwhelming start with the bat, but Hampshire remain in first place.

Source: PA