Report: Bears v Durham, Vitality Blast

Bears fell short of a challenging run chase for the second time in little more than 24 hours as Durham claimed victory by 26 runs.

The visitors amassed an imposing 194 for nine as David Bedingham hit a scintillating 63 from 27 balls. Dan Mousley underlined his England white-ball credentials with a steel-nerved 4-0-23-2 while George Garton took three for 41.

The Bears reply then fell short at 168 all out from 18.4 overs after Ben Raine (3.4-0-21-5) took important wickets at important times. 

Jake Bethell struck 50 (32) – his maiden T20 half-century – but the chase faded as wickets fell too regularly.

The result keeps the North Division table very tight with both sides having won two and lost two.

After choosing to bat, Durham lost a wicket second ball when Graham Clark chipped Garton to mid-wicket but the early strike worked against the Bears as it brought Bedingham to the crease.

The South African thundered to 50 in 21, reaching his half-century with six over mid-wicket in an Aamir Jamal over that went for 25.

Alex Lees contributed just eight to a stand of 60 before missing a slog-sweep at Mousley and falling lbw. Bedingham welcomed Jake Lintott into the attack with six into the pavilion but the wrist spinner’s revenge arrived three balls later when Rob Yates took a stinging catch at extra cover.

Lintott also ended Ollie Robinson’s punchy cameo at 25, caught by Bethell at deep mid-wicket.

Mousley cramped Raine’s desire to seek out the short leg-side boundary and bowled him. Ashton Turner improvised effectively for 33 (24) before top-edging a swipe at Garton and the Bears reined in the scoring during the closing overs.

Callum Parkinson trapped Yates lbw with the first legitimate ball of the Bears’ reply but Alex Davies (47 in 30 balls) and Mousley (35, 20 balls) gave the Bears a sound foundation with a stand of 80 in 46 balls.

They fell in the space of three balls, however, when Raine won an lbw verdict to even up his personal duel with Mousley and Davies was emphatically stumped off Turner’s first ball.

Sam Hain lifted Nathan Sowter to long off before Raine cranked up the pressure with a clever over which cost just five and then bowled Chris Benjamin and Jamal with the first two balls of his next.

Bethell reached 50 in 31 balls but sliced to deep backward point off Potts and Hasan Ali hoisted the next to deep mid-wicket. Raine returned to bowl Lintott and then complete the win by knocking out Garton’s middle stump.

Bears captain Alex Davies said: “In both games this weekend we have had a couple of overs which have been really costly. Last night we had two overs for 50-odd in the powerplay and tonight one went for 20-odd and it just gets you behind the game early.
“We had a few decisions against us which were questionable and that was coupled with getting back last night at 1 and 2am, and the lads having a few hours sleep and turning up to the ground again. It’s not really sustainable for elite sport, in my opinion.
“Having to leave one of your best bowlers [Richard Gleeson] out because he hasn’t got time to recover is disappointing. I know it’s the same for everyone in the country but it’s not an ideal schedule.”