Richard Oliver scored an unbeaten half-century to guide the Worcestershire Rapids to a five-wicket win over the Durham Jets in their T20 Blast North Group match this evening.
The Jets got off to a sluggish start as openers Mark Stoneman and Phil Mustard struggled to time the ball off the slow surface at New Road.
Stoneman departed for just 12 when he was caught by Daryl Mitchell, which brought Calum MacLeod to the crease.
Mustard and MacLeod combined to guide the Jets past the 50-run mark, which included two big sixes from Mustard off the bowling of Mitchell. However, their stand was to end when MacLeod was run out for 17 by Brett D'Oliveira with a direct hit.
Paul Collingwood brought impetus to the crease as he added 16 runs before he was caught on the boundary trying to hit Saeed Ajmal out of the ground, while Mustard departed two balls later for 35 to further stall the Durham innings.
Ajmal put the clamps on any attempt to accelerate the run-rate despite the best efforts of Ryan Pringle (22), as the Jets only managed to post 127-9 off their 20 overs.
Oliver got the Rapids' reply off to a solid start as he found the boundary in the early overs of the innings, but Chris Rushworth hit back when he bowled Mitchell for two.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore came in and helped to keep the in-form Oliver on strike, but he soon fell to Collingwood, while Colin Munro added just one more before making his way back to the pavilion.
However, a partnership of 51 between Oliver and D'Oliveira put the Rapids on the brink of victory before the home side managed to get over the line in the 19th over with five wickets in hand.
The Rapids remain in second place in the North Group, while Durham stay in fourth after 11 matches.
Simon Sinclair
