Lancashire beat Durham by 3 wickets (with 2 balls remaining) – T20 Blast Match Report
Lancashire won by 3 wickets (with 2 balls remaining) in the 105th match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 at Old Trafford. Keaton Jennings anchored the chase with an unbeaten 41 off 33 balls as Lancashire edged a tense encounter to move to 9th (6W 5L 1T, 26pts). Durham, despite a commanding 66-run knock from Colin Ackermann, slip to 13th (5W 7L, 20pts) after posting 141 all out.
Durham’s Innings – Ackermann Shines in Vain
Durham won the toss and elected to bat, but Lancashire’s bowling attack made early inroads. Alex Lees fell for just 1 at 2/1 in the second over, LBW to the opening spell. Graham Clark struck 18 off 13 (2 sixes) before being clean bowled at 27/2, and Ben McKinney departed for 8 at 33/3.
Colin Ackermann then took charge with a brilliant 66 off 45 balls (7 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 147, anchoring Durham’s middle order. Ollie George Robinson contributed 7 off 4 (1 six) before falling LBW at 42/5, while Kasey Aldridge added 10 off 10 (1 six) at 60/6. But Durham’s lower order crumbled under pressure – Brydon Carse went for 2 at 71/7, Ben Raine managed 2 at 82/8, and Matty Potts fell for 4 at 105/9. Callum Parkinson was clean bowled for 8 at 127/10, and Nathan Sowter was run out for 7 at 141/11.
Saqib Mahmood was the standout bowler for Lancashire, taking 3/20 from 4 overs at an economy of 5. Shadab Khan claimed 3/28 from 4 overs, while Liam Livingstone took 1/24 from 4 and Tom Hartley picked up 1/16 from 2.
Lancashire’s Chase – Jennings Holds Nerve
Philip Salt made a blistering start, striking 32 off 21 (4 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 152 before being clean bowled at 57/1 in the seventh over. Ben McDermott fell for 11 off 8 (2 fours) at 19/2, and Liam Livingstone was clean bowled for 17 off 19 at 72/3.
Keaton Jennings then took control, remaining unbeaten on 41 off 33 (3 fours, 1 six) to guide Lancashire home with 2 balls to spare. Shadab Khan contributed 17 off 13 (1 four, 1 six) at 94/5 before being caught, while Matthew Hurst added 7 off 11 and Joseph Moores fell for 1 at 119/7. Tom Hartley was clean bowled for 6 at 129/8.
Ben Raine was Durham’s leading wicket-taker with 4/21 from 4 overs at an economy of 5.25, a standout performance in a losing effort. Brydon Carse took 1/36 from 3 overs, Matty Potts claimed 1/28 from 3.4 overs, and Nathan Sowter picked up 1/21 from 4.
Statz MVP: Ben Raine (Statz Rating: 106.36)
Ben Raine earns the Statz MVP award with a Statz Rating of 106.36. Despite Durham’s defeat, Raine delivered a match-defining bowling performance – 4/21 from 4 overs at an economy of 5.25 – keeping Lancashire’s run-chase under pressure throughout. His 2 runs with the bat added to his all-round contribution, but it was his bowling excellence that defined his evening at Old Trafford.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Ben Raine (DUR) – Statz Rating: 106.36 | 4/21 from 4 overs – Miserly bowling display in a losing cause.
- Saqib Mahmood (LAN) – Statz Rating: 88.93 | 3/20 from 4 overs – Exceptional economy and early breakthroughs.
- Colin Ackermann (DUR) – Statz Rating: 87.57 | 66 off 45 (SR 147, 7 fours, 1 six) – Lone hand in Durham’s collapse.
- Shadab Khan (LAN) – Statz Rating: 86.99 | 17 off 13 (SR 131) plus 3/28 from 4 overs – Solid all-round contribution.
- Nathan Sowter (DUR) – Statz Rating: 53.61 | 1/21 from 4 overs – Economical bowling in a tight contest.
Turning Point
The match pivoted on Colin Ackermann‘s dismissal. With Durham at 60/6 in the ninth over, Ackermann was the sole anchor holding the innings together. His departure left the tail exposed, and Lancashire’s bowlers picked off the remaining batsmen with ease. Had Ackermann found support, Durham might have reached 170-plus; instead, 141 proved insufficient against a composed Lancashire chase.
Match Context
This was the 105th match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 group stage. Lancashire (9th, 6W 5L 1T, 26pts) secure a vital home win to keep their qualification hopes alive, while Durham (13th, 5W 7L, 20pts) remain in the relegation zone. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, and check the bet builder for indicative odds on future encounters at Old Trafford.
