Report: Durham v Bears, Vitality Blast
A brilliant bowling performance from Birmingham Bears gave them a win in their Vitality Blast opener as they beat Durham by six wickets at the Seat Unique Riverside.
Hassan Ali and Richard Gleeson led the attack with exceptional performances as the experienced seamers picked up five wickets between them and helped restrict the hosts to 101 all out.
The visitors led by Rob Yates and Sam Hain chased down the target with minimum fuss and won with plenty of time to spare.
It was a case of different day, same problems for Durham with this game coming hot on the heels of another poor batting performance at Lancashire on Thursday.
The North East side have scored just 176 runs in their two matches so far and will look to improve that when they face Leicestershire Foxes on Friday, while there’s a quick turnaround for the Bears as they host Derbyshire Falcons on Saturday.
Having been put into bat by the Bears, Durham got off to a flier with Alex Lees and Graham Clark scoring 25 from the first two overs. Clark’s positive start didn’t continue for much longer with Dan Mousley removing the opener for 14.
Lees then followed his opening partner into the pavilion with the Durham skipper being stumped for 14 after coming down the pitch to Danny Briggs. Colin Ackermann then miscued the ball straight to backward point for one after being deceived by a slower ball from Pakistan international Ali.
Ollie Robinson then skied one from Ali straight to the man at the square leg boundary to depart for six. The wickets kept on coming as Ben Raine clipped a George Garton ball into the air and it was met by a diving Yates who took a sublime catch. Ashton Turner and Michael Jones did offer some brief resistance but the Australian was then bowled by the impressive Briggs for 17.
Jake Lintott then got in on the act and bowled Durham’s Australian overseas signing Ben Dwarshuis for two.
At the other end Scottish international Jones stuck to the task alongside Matthew Potts, with the batsman hitting Ali for the first six of the night with a heave to the square-leg boundary.
Jones’ defiance ended on 29 as he smashed a Gleeson ball straight to the safe hands of Lintott, then the next ball saw the end of Nathan Sowter for a golden duck.
The impeccable Ali then bowled Potts for seven, giving him figures of three for 20 and Durham were all out for 101.
The Bears’ reply almost got off to a bad start as Yates edged a Dwarshuis delivery but it escaped the diving Turner at slip.
Alex Davies then turned on the style as he ramped a Dwarshuis ball for six, the first of the Bears innings. Yates chipped away at the target as he hit Callum Parkinson for three fours but the left arm spinner got his revenge and bowled the opener for 29.
Davies was then run out for 13 as Raine hit the stumps while the Bears skipper was backing up and he was short of his ground. Raine was in the thick of the action once again as he got Mousley LBW for eight to give the Bears a slight scare.
Jacob Bethell was removed by Potts for 18, but Hain, who finished unbeaten on 27, anchored the chase and saw his side home comfortably.
Bears bowler Danny Briggs said: “Taking wickets is always key. I think the deeper we went into the innings we knew it was a tricky wicket to bat on and we kept on taking wickets throughout which was good for us.
“We’ve got a great squad actually and it’s good to get some wickets. We’ve got a lot of options with the bat and the ball, hopefully its a sign of things to come for us.
“With Glees (Richard Gleeson) and Garts (George Garton) coming in its bolstered our bowling line up and really helps us.”
Four Teams. Two Matches. Blast Off is back!
Vitality Blast Off is back and the Bears will launch their home T20 campaign with a huge men’s double-header featuring two big Midlands rivalry games.
Taking place on Saturday 1 June, Derbyshire Falcons host Leicestershire Foxes (2.30pm) before the Bears take on Notts Outlaws (6.30pm). Buy tickets in advance and save.
