FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Old Trafford:
Lancashire 187-8 (20 ovs) beat Durham 137 (18.4 ovs) by 50 runs
Match scorecard

Parry is Lancashire's leading Twenty20 wicket-taker this summer with 15

Spinner Stephen Parry took a Twenty20-best 4-28 to bowl Lancashire to a 50-run win over Durham at Old Trafford.

Chasing 188 for victory, Durham were up against it from the moment Nathan McCullum removed Ian Blackwell and Ross Taylor in his opening two overs.

Parry then ripped through the middle order as Durham were all out for 137.

Steve Harmison had earlier taken 5-41 - his first five-wicket Twenty20 haul - as Lancashire made 187-7, Steven Croft top scoring with 68.

Three of Harmison's wickets came in the space of five balls in the final over of the home side's innings, which also saw Simon Katich (36) and McCullum (32 not out) make valuable contributions.

Lancashire's margin of victory might have even been bigger had it not been for a spirited ninth-wicket partnership of 52 between Durham's Liam Plunkett (31) and Ben Harmison (24).

It was Lancashire's second straight victory and lifted them above Durham and level on points with Warwickshire and Derbyshire in the North Group, four points behind leaders Nottinghamshire.

Despite successive defeats, Durham are only a point worse off and are still very much in the shake-up for a place in the quarter-finals.

BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson gives his verdict:

"Another heavy defeat for a Durham side that looked like the Durham of old when it comes to T20 - a side who were unable to cope with the format. The batting line-up should have been much stronger than this but you get the impression sports psychology takes over when a team comes out chasing 188 to win.

"When their previous best run chase is 181 - this was always going to be a tall order - even if they did score those 181 at Old Trafford. And so many of those early wickets to fall were simple catches.

"For their part Lancashire must love playing Durham. They have beaten them heavily twice this season and are now ahead by eight wins to three.

"The defeat also took the shine off Steve Harmison's five-for. It was his first in T20. And how many times do you see a game which features players on hat-trick three times? Harmison once and young Parry twice. None of them got that elusive third wicket, though."

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