Ben Stokes put on a clinic with bat and ball to guide Durham Jets to a dominant seven-wicket victory over Worcestershire Rapids in their Vitality Blast clash at Chester-le-Street.
The England all-rounder was imperious with the ball, claiming career-best Twenty20 figures of four for 16 from his four overs as Worcestershire were dismissed for 121.
He then scored 43 off 24 deliveries with the bat, while fellow opener Graham Clark made 55 as the home side eased to victory with 32 balls to spare.
Durham have won their last three matches and are well in contention to reach the knockout phase of the competition, while the Rapids suffered a second successive defeat.
The Jets won the toss and elected to bowl, with Stokes coming into the line-up for Paul Collingwood.
Worcestershire had England’s Moeen Ali back in their ranks and he hit the second ball of the innings to the boundary over point, but James Weighell responded to dismiss him in the next ball.
New Zealand international Martin Guptill struggled to get the ball off the square and fell victim to a Stokes’ delivery that kept low.
Travis Head’s form at the crease allowed his side to post 40 from their opening six overs, but Nathan Rimmington turned the momentum in favour of Durham by removing Daryl Mitchell.
Head continued his knock, although his strike rate did not get away from the home side.
4-0-16-4. Outstanding, @benstokes38
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But the Australian fell for 40 as he was undone by a straight delivery from South Africa spinner Imran Tahir, which sparked a collapse.
Stokes returned to the attack to have both Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox caught on the boundary, while Tahir notched his second strike of the innings as Ed Barnard was caught behind.
Luke Wood continued the procession of wickets, drilling Weighell straight to Liam Trevaskis in the deep.
Stokes claimed his fourth scalp by bowling Dillon Pennington, while a fine piece of fielding from Rimmington ran out Patrick Brown to end the innings with four balls unused.
Clark and Stokes got their side off to a flying start in their chase.
Both openers were able to find the boundary with regularity, putting the home side comfortably ahead of the required rate, and they reached their half-century partnership at the end of the fifth over.
Stokes dispatched Moeen over long-on for a huge six to reach 43, but his England team-mate had a semblance of revenge as Guptill took a catch on the fence from the following delivery, ending the opening partnership at 77.
Clark continued Durham’s progress, reaching his 50 off 35 balls.
The opener fell before the Jets could close out the victory, with Trevaskis eventually hitting the winning runs.
