Result: Durham Jets (172/5; MacLeod 45; Mahmood 3/31) lost to Lancashire Lightning (176/3; Livingstone 43*) by four runs
Durham Jets’ qualification hopes suffered a blow as they lost by four runs in a tight finish against the Lancashire Lightning at Emirates Riverside.
The visitors’ two England Lions men took the honours as the NatWest T20 Blast holders became the first side to beat the Jets on home turf.
Liam Livingstone made an unbeaten 43 off 24 balls to lift Lancashire’s total to 176/3 and Durham were on target until Saqib Mahmood struck timber three times in four balls.
They were revived by an unbroken stand of 48 in 3.5 overs between Paul Coughlin and Keaton Jennings, but when Coughlin needed to hit the last ball from Nathan Buck for six it landed ten yards short at long-on.
Durham finished on 172/5 and needing favours from other sides in their quest for one of the top four spots.
After being put in, Lancashire worked the ball into spaces as they ticked along to 88-1 after 12 overs before doubling the score in the remaining eight.
The only six was a powerful straight drive by Livingstone, who used the ramp shot to hit four fours.
Chris Rushworth’s first 11 balls cost one one run as the Jets made a solid start in the powerplay overs.
Alviro Petersen guided his first two fours deftly to third man before left-hander Luis Reece was struck on the helmet, prompting a delay while a new one was sent for. But in the next over Reece drove at Coughlin and edged behind.
Karl Brown opened up on the return of Usman Arshad for the 13th over, taking 15 off the first four balls before Petersen drove well wide of off stump and edged behind for 42.
Brown departed in the next over for 41, lbw trying to sweep Scott Borthwick, but Livingstone and Croft upped the momentum.
In reply, Phil Mustard made eight before skying Jordan Clark to wicketkeeper Tom Moores.
Mark Stoneman smashed Clark for two big sixes wide of long-on, the first of which was dropped by a spectator in their quest for the Dubai trip courtesy of Emirates which subsequently went without a winner.
But when Croft, the third of Lancashire’s three spinners, brought himself on for the tenth over Stoneman was bowled for 36.
Calum MacLeod offered Durham’s best chance of victory as he made 45 off 31 balls. But when stepped back to hit Mahmood through the off side he was yorked and the same fate befell Ryan Pringle and Gordon Muchall.
Coughlin hit Mahmood for a big six as the 19th over brought 16 runs while Jennings struck a maximum just shy of the hot tub occupants; one falling out of the tub in the process of trying to win the Dubai prize.
With boundaries required in the final over, the Jets’ swift running between the wickets proved not enough.
Final over bowler Nathan Buck did bowl a no-ball with 12 required off two balls, but the resultant ball went for two before the last one fell short of the six needed for a tie.
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