Durham’s impressive batting display, led by Alex Lees’s century and contributions from Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann, propelled them to a commanding 57-run victory over Lancashire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Lees, the Durham captain, anchored the innings with a superb 111 off 126 deliveries, striking eight boundaries and a six. De Leede, the Dutch international, contributed a brisk 72 off 63 balls, while Ackermann chipped in with a quickfire 59 off 33.
Durham’s total of 344 for four was their sixth-highest List A score. They paced their innings expertly, with every batter contributing. Ben McKinney (43) and Michael Jones (41) provided valuable support to Lees.
Lancashire’s chase got off to a promising start, with Josh Bohannon scoring a career-best 147 off 119 balls. However, Ackermann and de Leede proved too strong for the Red Rose batters, sharing six wickets between them.
Ackermann’s off-spin accounted for three wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Keaton Jennings for 44. De Leede, with his seam bowling, claimed three wickets, including the prized scalp of Bohannon.
Bohannon’s valiant effort was in vain as Lancashire were bowled out for 287, falling short of Durham’s target. The win marked a successful start to Durham’s One-Day Cup campaign.
