Durham claim emphatic ten-wicket win over Worcestershire

Having dismissed their opponents for 336 in their second innings on Saturday afternoon, Durham were left with a target of 87 in order to claim their fourth Championship win of the campaign.

They needed just over 20 overs to knock off the runs, with Australian Cameron Bancroft and the in-form Michael Jones combining in an unbeaten first-wicket stand of 89.

“It's great to win today and the group is now really tight,” said Jones, whose 78 in Durham’s first-innings total of 381 was a key factor in the away side’s victory. “Once again we are in a good place to drive on and make that push for Division One at the end of the season.

“I don't think when we walked out (on Saturday) afternoon we envisaged knocking the runs off before the end of the day, but it went well. Cameron Bancroft batted nicely and then we realised we could do it.”

Having bowled Worcestershire out for 131, with Matty Potts and Brydon Carse both taking four wickets, Durham effectively put the game to bed when they claimed a 250-run first-innings lead. David Bedingham top-scored with 121, with Jones and Alex Lees also scoring half-centuries.

“The talk before we got here was about how flat the pitch is in Worcester but when we had a look there was a bit more grass on there than we expected,” said Jones. “It was a bit greener and there was a bit more in it so we decided to have a bowl and it paid off.

“We then got a really good score and probably could have got a bit more in the first innings, to be honest, because we only wanted to bat once if we could, but we won.

“I was gutted not to get a century in the first innings, but I was able to come out there in the second and get a few more runs and that has really helped my confidence.”

Durham’s third win keeps them in contention for a top-two spot when they resume Championship action in early July.

Chris Rushworth made the first breakthrough of what proved to be the final day when night-watchman Josh Tongue was lbw for 15.

Ben Raine struck in his first over with Ross Whiteley on four driving at a delivery slanted across him and edging to Bancroft at first slip.

Brett D’Oliveira, who had top-scored with an unbeaten 39 in Worcestershire’s first innings, looked in good form. He straight drove Potts for four and clipped Raine through mid-wicket for another boundary.

Carse bowled a testing post-lunch spell to Jake Libby who was caught at first slip off a no ball on 96. But he went to his hundred – from 180 balls – with his 14th four.

D’Oliveira, after making an accomplished 46, was bowled by Potts from a delivery which kept low to end a 106 partnership with Libby.

Libby struck three successive boundaries off Potts but his fine knock ended on 126 when he gave spinner Scott Borthwick the charge and was stumped. His 210-ball knock contained 18 fours.

Cox made 26 before he was caught at second slip off Raine and Joe Leach, with 19, top edged Potts and was caught behind. Ed Barnard was left unbeaten on 34 after last man Dillon Pennington edged Carse to second slip, enabling Durham's openers to cruise home.