Nottinghamshire beat Durham by 2 runs – T20 Blast Match Report
Nottinghamshire won by 2 runs in the 79th match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street. Joe Clarke delivered a match-defining 56 off 35 balls as Nottinghamshire held their nerve to deny Durham in a pulsating finish. The win lifts Nottinghamshire to 3rd (7W 3L, 28pts) while Durham remain 14th (3W 6L, 12pts) and staring at elimination.
Nottinghamshire Post 166
Durham won the toss and elected to bowl, but Nottinghamshire’s batting lineup made them pay. Joe Clarke set the tone with a blistering 56 off just 35 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 160, anchoring the innings through the powerplay and middle overs. He was stumped at 108/1 in the 12th over, but by then the damage was done.
Jack Haynes provided crucial support with 37 off 25 (2 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 148, building a 52-run stand with Clarke before falling caught at 86/3 in the 9th over. Tom Moores (12 off 9, 1 six) fell at 107/4, and George Linde contributed 21 off 22 at 95 strike rate before being caught at 164/5 in the 19th over.
The late-order fireworks came from Benny Howell, who smashed 23 off 16 (2 fours) to push Nottinghamshire past 160. Matty Potts was the pick of Durham’s bowlers with 3/32 from 4 overs at economy 8, while Callum Parkinson took 2/34 from 4.
Durham Fall Just Short
Graham Clark produced a bright start with 34 off 25 (5 fours) at a strike rate of 136, but fell caught at 64/1 in the 6th over. Alex Lees anchored the chase with 44 off 35 (5 fours) at 126 strike rate, building crucial partnerships through the middle overs before being clean bowled at 107/2 in the 12th over.
Ben McKinney (26 off 20, 1 four, 2 sixes) and David Bedingham (26 not out off 21, 1 six) kept Durham in the hunt, but the asking rate climbed relentlessly. Ollie George Robinson (17 off 10, 2 fours) provided late acceleration at 170 strike rate, but fell caught at 143/6 in the 17th over. Durham finished on 164 – just 2 runs short.
George Linde was superb with the ball for Nottinghamshire, conceding just 19 from 4 overs while taking 2 wickets at economy 4.75. Liam Patterson-White added 2/7 from 2 overs to complete a miserly spell, while Mohammad Ali took 1/32 from 4.
Statz MVP: George Linde (Statz Rating: 111.94)
George Linde earns the Statz MVP award with an mi_rating of 111.94 – the highest of the evening. His 21 off 22 with the bat provided crucial runs in the middle order, and his 2/19 from 4 overs with the ball kept Durham’s chase in check. Statz calculates impact based on match context, and Linde’s combined contribution across both disciplines was decisive in a tight contest. No official Man of the Match was awarded.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- George Linde (NOT) – Statz Rating: 111.94 | 21 off 22 plus 2/19 from 4 overs. Dominant all-round display in a tight contest.
- Liam Patterson-White (NOT) – Statz Rating: 83.68 | 2/7 from 2 overs at economy 3.5. Miserly and match-winning under pressure.
- Matty Potts (DUR) – Statz Rating: 71.95 | 3/32 from 4 overs at economy 8. Durham’s leading wicket-taker on the night.
- Joe Clarke (NOT) – Statz Rating: 71.05 | 56 off 35 (SR 160, 4 fours, 2 sixes). Blistering start set the tone for Nottinghamshire’s total.
- Callum Parkinson (DUR) – Statz Rating: 51.59 | 2/34 from 4 overs at economy 8.5. Steady bowling in a losing effort.
Turning Point
The match turned when Alex Lees was clean bowled at 107/2 in the 12th over (ball 12.3). Lees had been anchoring Durham’s chase at 126 strike rate, and his dismissal left Durham needing 60 off 46 balls with the middle order exposed. Though Bedingham and McKinney pushed them agonisingly close, the loss of Lees shifted the balance decisively in Nottinghamshire’s favour.
Match Context
This was the 79th match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 group stage. Nottinghamshire (3rd, 7W 3L, 28pts) pick up a crucial away win to consolidate their top-four position. Durham (14th, 3W 6L, 12pts) will rue how close they came – just 2 runs from what would have been a statement victory. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or check the bet builder for indicative odds on future fixtures.
