County Championship: Lancashire break duck with win over Durham

George Balderson’s heroics secured Lancashire a 60-run victory over Durham in their County Championship Division One match at Blackpool.

Durham were chasing an unlikely 475 to win and appeared on course at times thanks to Ollie Robinson, who hit a career-best 171 not out.

But Balderson’s new-ball burst saw Durham slip from 380-5 to 383-8 before the all-rounder wrapped up the innings for figures of 4-52 and clinch a first win of the season for the Red Rose.

Robinson and David Bedingham both recorded centuries as they combined for a 216-run stand for the fourth wicket that put Durham in contention for victory.

But having reached his ton, Bedingham pushed forward to his next delivery and was caught by Matthew Hurst off Nathan Lyon for 103.

Lancashire’s breakthrough brought Ben Stokes to the wicket with the visitors needing 162 to win.

The England captain took 22 deliveries to get off the mark with a reverse-sweep for four off Lyon and he then hit a four and a six off successive balls from Luke Wells’ next over.

However, the leg-spinner had his revenge when he bowled Stokes, attempting another reverse sweep, for 18.

Lancashire took the new ball with the score on 362-5 only for Graham Clark’s pulled six to take Durham within 100 of victory, but Balderson then took centre stage.

In one over, he had Clark caught behind for 18 and Paul Coughlin taken at slip for a second-ball duck.

Balderson then claimed a return catch to get rid of Ben Raine in his next over, before a mix-up between Matthew Potts and Robinson saw the former run out for two.

Robinson went on the attack but his 26-run last-wicket partnership with Callum Parkinson ended when Balderson had the latter caught at slip by Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings for a 17-ball duck.