Stokes, Wood deliver semi-final win for Durham Jets

Durham Jets 156-6 (Stokes 56) beat
Yorkshire Vikings 149-9 (Lyth 64, Wood 2-25) by seven runs
NatWest T20 Blast semi-final, Edgbaston

Ben Stokes hit 56 in 36 balls and Mark Wood returned four for 25 to put Durham Jets into the NatWest T20 Blast final thanks to a seven-run win over Yorkshire Vikings in the day's second semi-final.

Stokes showed no ill effects following his recent calf injury to help Durham post 156 for six and although Adam Lyth then also hit a half-century in Yorkshire's run chase, they fell short, closing on 149 for nine.

After more rain delayed the start, Durham won the toss and chose to bat first, making a quiet start as Yorkshire's Tim Bresnan and David Willey kept things tight early on. Willey was struck on the hand by Keaton Jennings as Durham looked to push on and Mark Stoneman then hit Bresnan for four fours in one over.

Jennings was well stumped down the leg-side by Jonny Bairstow off Azeem Rafiq for 11 and after Durham ended the powerplay on 39 for one, Stoneman was bowled by Liam Plunkett for 25.

More rain closed in with the score on 60 for two after nine overs but once play resumed, Ben Stokes went on the attack, smashing a 32-ball half-century before being dismissed, caught by Bresnan off Rafiq following a second rain interruption.

He struck 56 in 36 balls and useful runs coming from Michael Richardson (29) and Jack Burnham (17) helped them reach 156 for six.

Plunkett took two for 22 by bowling Ryan Pringle while Willey bravely completed his four overs and Bresnan was impressive in claiming one for 29.

Lyth then got Yorkshire off to a flyer at one end, taking on the pace of Wood while at the other end a couple of Chris Rushworth (3-19) short balls saw both Willey (3) and Joe Root (7) caught via top edges.

He found support from Alex Lees, who made 22 in 16 balls until he was caught by Stokes off Scott Borthwick, after which Wood returned to the attack and took two wickets in three balls, yorking Jonny Bairstow for three and having Gary Ballance superbly caught by Collingwood at leg gully for a two-ball duck, leaving Yorkshire at 86 for five.

Lyth then added 34 with Jack Leaning (19) for the sixth wicket but it was Rushworth's return that broke the partnership when Lyth was caught by Stoneman at backward point for an excellent 64 in 42 balls. It could have been even better for the pacer had Michael Richardson not dropped Bresnan first ball straight after.

Leaning fell in the next over, caught by Pringle at long-on off Usman Arshad but a big six by Bresnan ended the over leaving Yorkshire needing 23 to win from the final two.

Back came Wood, and promptly bowled Plunkett for nine and Bresnan for the same score to return figures of four for 25, all but sealing the game for Durham.

Yorkshire needed 15 to win from the last six balls with one wicket remaining but Durham would not be denied, Arshad keeping Rafiq and Adil Rashid to ones and twos and delivering Durham to their first ever domestic T20 final, where Northants Steelbacks would be their opponents.

© Cricket World 2016