Durham v Lancashire Lightning, Vitality Blast

Durham 0 points, Lancashire 4 points

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Lancashire ended a three-game losing streak as Liam Livingstone brilliantly dismantled a 129-target in a rain-reduced, 10-overs per side Vitality Blast clash with fellow strugglers Durham at Banks Homes Riverside.

The Lightning’s quarter-final hopes were boosted by a second win in six games - this by seven wickets with five balls remaining - while Durham’s fourth defeat in six means they are joined on eight points by a Red Rose team who remain bottom of the North Group.

Livingstone’s second successive Blast half-century - 85 not out off 31 balls with eight sixes - saw him hit four successive sixes off Kasey Aldridge’s seam late in a simply sensational innings.

Durham’s 128 for two saw openers Graham Clark and Alex Lees impress for 49 not out off 29 balls and 42 off 24 respectively. England limited overs pacer Luke Wood returned one for 16 from two overs for Lightning, while Livingstone also struck.

Livingstone also broke the record for most sixes by a Lancashire batter in T20 history (163), previously held by his delighted coach Steven Croft. 

Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone said

“I’ve played a bit of T10 cricket, and that helped. It was good fun and a well-needed win, that’s for sure. It was nice.

“I’ve done it before (opening). It was quite nice to walk out and see only two men out and a hard ball. It didn’t feel too alien. I started my career there, and I enjoyed it. Apart from the drop, it was sort of the perfect template for me.

“They probably got 10 or 15 too many. We probably missed our areas a bit, myself included in my first over.

“I feel like I can impact the game higher up the order with innings like that. I’ve always said that when I was down at five, six and seven, I don’t think it suits me as well as that. The last two innings have shown that I’m maybe finally maturing a bit as well.

“I came back from the IPL really hungry to play some cricket having spent a lot of time on the bench. I worked hard and put it all into practice.”