Will Rhodes maiden T20 fifty for Durham wasn’t enough, as Ryan Campbell’s side fell to six wicket defeat to Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.
Durham stuttered their way to 156, with only Rhodes, 58 not-out, able to cash in against a well-drilled Rapids attack.
The reply sizzled from the outset, with 17-year-old Isaac Mohammed blasting 32 from just 15 balls, as his cameo put the Rapids in a good position after the powerplay.
Coming in at 89-3, Ethan Brookes stole the show with a blistering 51, in an innings that included eight boundaries, to see his side to victory with two overs to spare.
After being asked to bat first in idyllic conditions, Durham lost Graham Clark and Ollie Robinson as their side were restricted to 37-2 from six overs.
Skipper Alex Lees looked good for his 28 but failed to kick on when he clipped an Ethan Brookes delivery straight to the hands of Dwarshuis in the deep, as the visitors reached the halfway point of their innings 65-3.
Jacob Duffy opened proceedings with a searing yorker, before the impressive Dwarshuis (1-28) had Ollie Robinson caught for one.
Colin Ackerman struck a couple of lusty blows in his 21-run cameo but failed to capitalise on his start when he fell chipping the ball straight to debutant Isaac Mohammed at backward point.
The Rapid’s bowling performance continued to stifle the Durham run rate, as Matthew Waite (2-20) picked up the key wicket of Jimmy Neesham, for just five, as Will Rhodes continued his salvo at the other end.
The cohesive display in the field and with the ball saw the Rapids on top heading into the final stages of the innings, before a 41-run partnership between Will Rhodes and Ben Raine was ended when Waite, 2-20, rounded off an impressive bowling performance when he removed Raine in the 19th over.
Dwarshuis, returned to finish the innings, as Rhodes brought up his counter-attacking half-century, as he scored a well-made 58 off 33 balls, as Durham were restricted to 155-6.
It was debutant Isaac Mohammed, who took centre stage in the early stages of the reply, as his exhilarating knock got the Rapids off to a flying start.
His 32 off just 15 balls included six boundaries, but the entertainment was brought to a close when Neesham, beat his defences with an accurate yorker.
Kashif Ali joined Jake Libby, as the pair continued their fast start, with Ali helping himself to four successive boundaries in the final over of the powerplay, as the home side reached 63-1.
The pair added 48 for the second-wicket, before the visitors struck twice in two overs, when Ben Raine trapped Ali LBW for 25, and Callum Parkinson had Libby caught for 21, with the Rapids needing 67 to win off the remaining seven overs.
Ethan Brookes then put his foot on the accelerator, taking the returning Potts for 21 off his second over, blasting three sixes in the process as he took his side to within touching distance of a memorable victory.
Brookes, couldn’t quite see his side home, as he fell for a brilliant 51 from just 24 balls, but with just two required for victory, a comfortable six-wicker win was wrapped up in the 18th over.