Saturday 13 June 2015 12:13, UK
Kevin O'Brien and Grant Elliott produced a batting masterclass as the Leicestershire Foxes eased to an eight-wicket win over the Durham Jets at Grace Road.
O'Brien smashed 48 off 34 balls and put on Elliott 34 from 23 deliveries in a quick partnership of 78 as Leicestershire cruised past Durham's paltry target of 124 for victory with 27 balls remaining.
Ireland all-rounder O'Brien was in fine form with the ball as well, taking 2-20 including the key wicket of Durham top-scorer Phil Mustard for 45.
Mustard was the fourth wicket to fall, with Durham on 75, but it had taken them more than 14 overs to get to that score as Leicestershire's attack kept them in check with some fine bowling.
Rob Taylor removed Mark Stoneman for 10 while Calum MacLeod and Paul Collingwood managed only seven apiece before being dismissed by O'Brien and Jigar Naik respectively.
Ryan Pringle made only one before falling to Ben Raine but Gordon Muchall (31) and John Hastings (21) at least ensured a target of more than six an over, albeit only just, in a 37-run sixth-wicket stand.
But the Foxes were always well ahead of the rate thanks to a quick start from skipper Mark Cosgrove, who hit five fours and a six in his innings of 29 off 23 balls at the top of the order.
Although he and Ned Eckersley (8) fell in quick succession, Durham were unable to take control of the game with O'Brien and Elliott mixing in big shots with quick running between the wickets.
O'Brien hit three fours and three sixes, with Pringle coming in for some tough treatment in his two overs, which went for 30 runs.
It was also a one-sided affair at Lord's where Middlesex routed Kent by 115 runs thanks to some brutal batting from Paul Stirling and superb bowling from James Franklin.
Stirling found all parts of the ground in his fantastic innings of 90, which included six fours and seven sixes, and helped the hosts reach a formidable 205-5 in their 20 overs.
Eoin Morgan marked his return to action after a stint in the IPL with 54 off 27 balls, hitting three sixes and four fours, while Franklin set up his later bowling performance with 23 off 16 balls.
The New Zealand all-rounder went on to rip through the Kent middle-order - who were out for a dismal 90 - twice being on a hat-trick as he returned impressive figures of 5-21.
There was no sign of the carnage to follow when Kent made it to 56-2, with skipper Sam Northeast going well on 20, but Franklin accounted for him and Matt Coles (11) in successive balls and wickets fell with regularity thereafter.
Franklin dismissed dangerman Darren Stevens for three in his next over, and was again on a hat-trick in the 13th when Alex Blake (5) and Sam Billings (11) fell, but Fabian Cowdrey denied him.
However, there was no denying Middlesex as Stirling picked up the wicket of Calum Haggett and Australian youngster Nathan Sowter claimed the final two wickets to finish with figures of 2-2 from his only four balls.
