Durham hang on to earn narrow win

PRO40 DIVISION ONE, Riverside:
Durham 224-6 beat Nottinghamshire 220-9 by 4 runs (Durham 2pts)

Match scorecard

Luke Fletcher had made just 20 runs in 19 previous one-day games in 2009

Durham held on for a narrow Pro40 Division One win at the Riverside despite Nottinghamshire tail-ender Luke Fletcher's late assault.

Fletcher hit 40 off 25 balls to leave Notts needing him to hit both of Will Gidman's last two deliveries for six.

But, having succeeded with the first, Fletcher was able to follow up only with a single to deep midwicket.

In a match reduced to 35 overs a side, Notts finished on 220-9 in reply to county champions Durham's 224-6.

After playing no part in Durham's championship triumph this season, all-rounder Ben Harmison earned the man-of-the-match award, top scoring with 67 off 64 balls, before halting the visitors' brisk reply with a spell of two wickets for 14 runs in five overs.

Harmison has been batting increasingly well in this competition, only to get out in the 20s. But this time he progressed to his highest one-day score, beating the 57 he made against Nottinghamshire at the Riverside in 2006.

Durham fielded only four of the side which had clinched their second successive County Championship crown the previous day, including Phil Mustard, who launched their innings with 61 off 48 balls - his fifth half-century in seven knocks in this season's competition.

Durham also handed debuts in this competition to 18-year-old all-rounder Ben Stokes and six foot seven seamer Luke Evans, while Samit Patel's brother, Akhil, made only his second appearance for Notts.

BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson gives his daily Durham verdict:

"Following their County Championship heroics on Saturday, Durham's one-day team signed off from the Riverside for the summer with a win.

"The crowd who braved the cold and windy conditions were treated to a real spectacle as the match went down to the final delivery."

Durham wicketkeeper Phil Mustard told BBC Newcastle:

"It was nice to beat Notts again. We've had a good year against them.

"Luke Fletcher was close to a century in the Championship earlier in the year so we knew he could bat."