Walker wickets end Durham hopes
Source -
sportinglife.com
Leicestershire Foxes stayed on course for a Twenty20 Cup quarter-final place with a clinical 32-run victory over Durham Dynamos at Grace Road.
HD Ackerman hit 60 off 52 balls as the Foxes posted a total of 144 for five and then Durham were left in disarray by former Derbyshire seamer Nick Walker.
Walker claimed three wickets in his first three overs as Durham slumped to 23 for four. They never properly recovered and were dismissed for 112 in 19.4 overs, giving the Foxes their fourth win in six group games.
But it had been an uncomfortable start to the match for the home side after they had won the toss.
Darren Maddy was cut just below his eye with a lifting delivery from Graham Onions before he had scored and needed to go off for treatment.
Then Dinesh Mongia and Paul Harrison were dismissed cheaply, leaving the Foxes at nine for two.
But they staged an excellent recovery, showing the sort of resilience which has taken them to three successive finals days in the competition.
Ackerman laid the foundations with an impressive innings which contained four fours and two sixes.
He was given welcome support by Foxes captain Jeremy Snape who made 38 off 28 balls, the pair sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 72 in eight overs.
Maddy returned to add some valuable runs at the end of the innings, leaving Durham a target of 145.
But Walker's superb opening spell on a lively wicket undermined the Durham reply and they were always well behind the required rate.
Dale Benkenstein and Gary Pratt provided some bright batting in the middle order, but the home side's attack - aided by some sharp fielding and catching - kept a tight grip on things.
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