Vitality Blast 2021: All the Match Scores, Results, Reports and Scorecards June 17th

Vitality Blast 2021: All the Match Scores, Results, Reports and Scorecards June 17^th

Live Scores and Stats - Vitality Blast 2021

Thursday, June 17, 2021           

Middlesex v Gloucestershire (Radlett CC)

Gloucestershire (157-5) beat Middlesex (179-5) by two runs (DLS)

Ian Cockbain hit his first half-century of this year’s Vitality Blast to earn Gloucestershire a narrow win over Middlesex after rain at Radlett prevented a nail-biting finish.

Ryan Higgins top-edged the final ball of the 18th over from Steven Finn for six to finish on 62 not out from 39 balls and edge his side ahead by two runs under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculations.

Until then, Gloucestershire had been behind the required rate, but Cockbain and Ryan Higgins, with an unbeaten 20, did enough to tilt the contest in their favour, reaching 157 for five when a downpour halted play.

Middlesex had posted 179 for five after being put in, built around Joe Cracknell’s 41-ball innings of 67 – the youngster’s second successive half-century.

The home side struggled to find momentum in the powerplay and lost Paul Stirling for just eight, slamming Josh Shaw into the hands of mid-off.

However, Cracknell looked assured at the crease, punching the ball cleanly and finding the boundary regularly as he and Stephen Eskinazi added 59 from 45 balls.

Tom Smith broke the partnership, luring Eskinazi down the track for Glenn Phillips to pull off a stumping, but Cracknell advanced past 50 before mistiming his drive off Dan Worrall and picking out the long-off fielder.

Higgins squandered a chance to dispose of Eoin Morgan early, dropping him at point – and the Middlesex captain made him pay, thrashing 21 off his next over as he raced to 38 from 22 balls.

Higgins got his man eventually, caught in the deep after a knock that included three sixes, before a late flurry from Chris Green, who hit 13 not out from six deliveries, lifted Middlesex to 179.

Gloucestershire got away to a flying start courtesy of Chris Dent, who took three successive fours off Tim Murtagh and dispatched Blake Cullen for two sixes to reach 32 from just 15 balls.

Despite the departure of Dent – tempted by Steven Finn’s short ball – the visitors reached 61 for one in the powerplay and Cockbain maintained the scoring rate with a succession of boundaries.

However, spin duo Green and Luke Hollman, who finished with figures of two for 30 and two for 33 respectively, slowed Gloucestershire down during the middle overs with flight, variation – and a clutch of wickets.

The pick of those was Morgan’s grab at short cover to dismiss Benny Howell off Hollman, but Cockbain remained to marshal the chase and ultimately did just enough to secure Gloucestershire’s victory.

Durham v Lancashire Lightning (Emirates Riverside)

Durham 153/4 beat Lancashire 151/6 by 6 wickets

A blistering fifty from David Bedingham allowed Durham to get back winning ways in their Vitality Blast campaign, defeating Lancashire Lightning by six wickets at Emirates Riverside.

Bedingham operated at the peak of his powers to score his second T20 fifty in a row, allowing the rest of the Durham line-up to chase down a total of 152 with ease. The hosts cantered over the line with 14 balls to spare, securing their third win in four matches in the competition.

Liam Livingstone had scored 65 for the visitors after they opted to bat, but the rest of the Lightning outfit struggled in their innings, including Jos Buttler who was dismissed for a duck on a day to forget for Lancashire on the road.

Durham were rocked by a Covid-19 scare before the start of play, but only one change to their line-up was required from their defeat to Notts Outlaws as Sean Dickson replaced Jack Burnham. The Lightning won the toss and enjoyed a fast start as Finn Allen found his range, clipping Matthew Potts over the fence before Livingstone followed suit.

Potts had his revenge on Allen, dismissing the New Zealander for 25. Buttler arrived at the crease in the hope of providing fireworks, but he was caught on the fence for a third-ball duck handing Scott Borthwick his first T20 wicket of the season.

Durham dragged the visitors back with tight bowling, especially from the spinners as Alex Davies and Dane Vilas fell cheaply. Lancashire found life tough to find the boundary, enduring a 33-ball drought before Livingstone eased the pressure sending Borthwick to the fence twice and over the rope in the 15th over.

Livingstone reached his half-century in the process from 46 deliveries, holding the Lightning innings together. The opener fell going for the boundary to hand Potts his second wicket. Steven Croft became the third victim of the 22-year-old in the final over before Danny Lamb and Luke Wood scrambled their side to a total of 151 for six.

Bedingham and Graham Clark led an emphatic Durham response in the powerplay. The South African was at the forefront blasting Tom Bailey for 17 in the third over, sending two sixes over the leg-side. The openers posted a half-century stand inside the fourth over, reaching the milestone for the second game in a row.

The home side were almost half way towards their required target in the powerplay alone, finishing the six-over spell 74 without loss.

Matt Parkinson clean bowled Clark for 26 to make the breakthrough before removing Ben Raine. Bedingham remained steadfast at the other end, hitting successive boundaries to notch his second fifty of the season.

Livingstone prised out the South African for a fine 58, although Durham were still in a commanding position of 110-3 in the 12th over. Cameron Bancroft ushered his side over the line with an unbeaten 29, allowing Durham to bounce back from their defeat to the Notts Outlaws and to move into third place in the North Group.

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire Steelbacks (The Incora County Ground)

Northamptonshire Steelbacks slipped to a fourth straight defeat as Derbyshire Falcons ended a two game losing streak with a five wicket victory in the North Group match at Derby.

A disciplined Derbyshire performance with the ball restricted Northamptonshire to 141 for 8 and the Falcons, led by an unbeaten 48 from Leus du Plooy and 44 from Matt Critchley, eased home on 143 for 5 with 10 balls to spare.

Ricardo Vasconcelos scored 38 and Graeme White made 37 from 24 balls but Northamptonshire were restricted by George Scrimshaw, 1 for 13 from four overs and Conor McKerr, 2 for 23.

After losing seven for 17 in their previous game, the Steelbacks ran into more problems, with both openers dismissed in the first two overs.

On a slow, used pitch, Richard Levi chipped Logan van Beek to midwicket and Adam Rossington was caught behind pulling Conor McKerr.

Vasconcelos and Wayne Parnell repaired the damage until the Falcons struck again in the final over of the powerplay.

Parnell lost his middle stump aiming a big drive at Finn Hudson-Prentice and Rob Keogh steered the next ball to slip.

The slide continued when Saif Zaib missed a sweep at Critchley and although Mohammed Naib dispatched Critchley for two sixes, the Falcons quickly reasserted control.

Naib was caught at deep midwicket attempting a third and Vasconcelos skied a pull at George Scrimshaw to reduce Northamptonshire to 81 for 7 in the 14th over.

White and Tom Taylor got their side to a respectable total by taking 41 from the last three overs with both batsmen driving Critchley for six before White hit Hudson-Prentice for three consecutive fours.

Northamptonshire had to take early wickets and Ben Sanderson delivered by bowling Harry Came in the second over.

Billy Godleman drove Nabi for six before being run out four balls later but the pressure was eased when 17 came from Nathan Buck’s first over.

Parnell responded by removing Luis Reece and conceding only two from the next over but du Plooy provided momentum by pulling Sanderson for six to leave the Falcons needing 62 off the last 10 overs.

Critchley took Derbyshire to within 14 of victory before he skied Taylor to mid on and although Hudson-Prentice was run out, du Plooy sealed victory in style with his third six.

Surrey v Sussex Sharks (Kia Oval)

Surrey 52-5 (5 ov) 

Sussex did not bat

Result - No result - Match Abandoned due to Rain

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