MATCH REPORT: Durham destroyed by Lancs attack in opening Vitality Blast win
Tom Aspinwall produced the best figures by a Lancashire bowler on T20 debut and Jack Blatherwick claimed a T20 career best as the Lightning knocked over Durham for 75 before romping home on 76 for one to clinch this Vitality Blast match by nine wickets on a sensational opening night at Emirates Old Trafford.
Aspinwall took four for 18, including a wicket with his first ball in T20, to beat the previous record of 4 four 20 by George Edwards against Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford in 2015 while Blatherwick returned a T20 best of three for 14 as Lancashire’s bowlers ran riot after stand-in skipper Steven Croft had won the toss.
Durham openers Alex Lees and Graham Clark looked unsettled against the pace of Luke Wood (two for 7) from the start with Lees top edging a short ball from the left arm pace bowler to Aspinwall at short fine leg for 4 in the third over.
Ollie Robinson played back to the off spin of Lightning’s new Australian overseas player Chris Green to be bowled for 1 and Aspinwall had a dream start on T20 debut with a wicket with his first ball, when Graham Clark pulled the 20-year-old to Green at midwicket for 10.
Ben Raine hit the first two balls from Blatherwick for four, but the bowler produced a superb diving catch off his third delivery as Raine got a leading edge that looped back up the wicket.
That left Durham on 30 for four in the 6th over but the night quickly worsened for the visitors who tried to fight fire with fire, only to be left with ashes, as Aspinwall struck with two wickets in two balls. It was the second time in a fortnight that the young all-rounder had achieved this feat against Durham during his five-wicket haul in the Championship match at Blackpool.
First, Ashton Turner was hurried into a cross batted shot that sailed tamely to Croft at mid-off for 1 and then Michael Jones was comprehensively yorked by a rapid delivery to leave the visitors in complete disarray at 31 for six midway through the seventh over.
Two overs later Aspinwall could celebrate his landmark fourth wicket when Colin Ackermann sliced high to Bruce at backward point for 7.
Croft, starting his 19th season in T20 cricket tonight, then brought the house down with a sensational diving catch sprinting back from mid-off to send back Matty Potts for 15, Blatherwick the bowler.
Blatherwick followed with his third wicket when Nathan Sowter flicked the bowler to Green at third man for 1 and Ben Dwarshuis was last out for 13 after slicing a drive off Wood to Green at point with the innings only lasting 14.3 overs.
The Lancashire reply turned into the Luke Wells show as the left-handed opener thumped three sixes and six fours in an unbeaten 49 off just 25 balls as the Lightning raced to their low target.
Wells swung Potts for six over backward square leg in the second over and again over midwicket in the sixth before driving Nathan Sowter for six over long-on in the following over.
The only blemish came when Josh Bohannon got a leading edge to Dwarshuis at point off Callum Parkinson for two in the third over, but George Bell – a late replacement for the injured Keaton Jennings – played an excellent supporting role, making 22 not out off 18 balls in a 61-run partnership.
Fittingly it was Wells who clinched victory by driving the last ball of the eighth over for four.
“I was a bit nervous running in for that first ball,” admitted Tom Aspinwall, “and I really couldn’t have asked for a better start.
“The nerves go after that when you get a wicket,” he grinned.
“I was stood at the top of my mark talking to Woody about where to bowl it, and it went down quite well.
“I got told I was playing this morning,” he added. “So, I had time to prepare. I spoke to some of the coaches about where to bowl so I was ready to play.
“We had a great start which always helps.
Tom was just one of the debutants in this opening game and he said:
“We had five people playing their first game for Lancs in T20 tonight, so it’s a fresh squad, and we are trying to play it game by game.
“It’s great to get off to a winning start, it brings confidence, and we go down to Worcester tomorrow and try to do it again.”
Ken Grime
Photos: George Franks, Luke Adams, Dan Adams