T20 Blast: Ben Raine’s five-wicket haul seals Durham win over Birmingham

Durham chose to bat and, despite losing Graham Clark for a second-ball duck, they were soon in the ascendancy as Bedingham bludgeoned a string of boundaries against the Bears seamers.

The South African took 19 from a single George Garton over, while Aamer Jamal also came in for some punishment as an enormous six over midwicket brought up Bedingham’s half-century from 21 balls.

He pummelled Jake Lintott’s first ball for another maximum but the bowler had the final word, tempting Bedingham to punch one to short cover before off-spinner Dan Mousley’s shrewd spell of 2-23 applied the brakes in the middle overs.

Ashton Turner (33 from 24) and Ollie Robinson (25 from 18) regained some momentum for Durham and Matthew Potts, with a valuable 14 from just seven deliveries, lifted the visitors above 190.

Birmingham – who also lost a second-ball wicket, that of Rob Yates – swiftly ate into their target as Davies and Mousley (35 from 20) repeatedly peppered the boundaries in the powerplay.

Turner made an immediate impact with his off-breaks, luring Davies out of his ground for Robinson to take off the bails, but Bethell (50 from 32) stepped into the breach and took on Durham’s spinners, twice lifting Nathan Sowter over the rope.

However, Raine struck a vital blow with two wickets in as many balls and Potts repeated that feat – including the dismissal of Bethell, caught in the deep – before his fellow seamer applied the finishing touch by yorking both Lintott and Garton.