Shropshire Star

Dillon in the groove as Worcestershire keep it perfect

Four wickets for Pennington as Rapids continue 100 per cent start.

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Dillon Pennington picked up four wickets in two overs as Worcestershire
maintained their 100 per cent winning start in the North Group of the Vitality Blast in a rain-reduced encounter with Northamptonshire.

The England Under-19 paceman destroyed any hopes the Steelbacks had of reaching a steep 131 target in nine overs after taking the new ball.

Pennington dismissed Ben Duckett, Josh Cobb, Richard Levin and Steven Crook and finished with four wickets for nine runs to help the table-topping Rapids make it four wins out of four with a 41-run success.

At Chester-le-Street, Tim Bresnan played the starring role with both bat and ball to guide Yorkshire to a 10-run win over Durham.

The Vikings elected to bat, and late striking from Jonny Tattersall (36) and Bresnan(28 not out) guided them to 157 for six from 20 overs.

Durham appeared in control of their chase, but they were to lose wickets at vital times of the innings as pressure from Bresnan and Steven Patterson forced mistakes.

At Edgbaston, a brilliant century from Ben Raine lifted Leicestershire Foxes to a 102-run victory over Birmingham Bears.

All-rounder Raine smashed 113 from 46 balls, the second-fastest T20 century by an Englishman, including 10 sixes and eight fours.

There was no way back from that for the Bears, who folded to 127 all out.

Dan Christian produced another match-winning performance as Nottinghamshire cruised to a third consecutive victory in a rain-affected match against Derbyshire.

Outlaws skipper Christian made 62 from 40 balls and then took three wickets to condemn the Falcons to a 39-run Duckworth-Lewis defeat at Derby.

Tom Moores smashed 53 from 25 balls in Nottinghamshire’s 175 for eight from 19 overs, with Lockie Ferguson taking four wickets for 26 runs, before the Falcons’ pursuit fell well short at 139 for nine.

In the South Group, Kent avenged last month’s Royal London One-day Cup final defeat by securing a breathless three-run win over Hampshire.

It was Kent seamer Mitch Claydon who held his nerve at the death when, with six needed for a Hampshire win, a near-perfect yorker restricted the visitors to a single that sparked Kent celebrations for a third win in four starts.

Hampshire, who have now lost their first three Blast games, made a disastrous
start to their pursuit of 210, losing James Vince, Colin Munro and Sam Northeast in the first seven balls.

At Hove, Aaron Finch made a brilliant 131 not out, the highest Twenty20 score by a Surrey batsman, as his side ended Sussex’s unbeaten start with a thumping 52-run win.

Badly dropped by Jofra Archer with a single to his name, the Australian made
the most of his reprieve as he struck 10 fours and seven sixes from just 79 balls to help Surrey to 192 for three.

Opener Phil Salt made 74 in the reply but Sussex never looked like overhauling that total and were bowled out for 140 in the 18th over.

Ian Cockbain’s unbeaten 43 off 22 balls led Gloucestershire to a four-wicket victory over Somerset with five deliveries to spare at Bristol.

In a match reduced to 11 overs per side by rain before the start, the visitors
ran up 114 for eight, with Corey Anderson hitting 40 off 17 deliveries.

In reply, Gloucestershire made 116 for six from 10.1 overs, with Cockbain hitting four fours and two sixes.

At Chelmsford, Chris Cooke gave a masterclass in lower-order hitting to carry Glamorgan to a two-wicket victory over Essex off the last ball of a dramatic final over.

The South African wicketkeeper-batsman hit a four from Neil Wagner’s final
delivery to end with 60 from 29 balls and give Glamorgan, chasing 168, their second win of the season.

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