Durham survive Fletcher fright

Ben Harmison collected the match award for a fluent innings of 67 off 64 balls to underpin Durham's total of 224 for six

Seam bowler Luke Fletcher's unbeaten 40 off 25 balls could not prevent Nottinghamshire slipping to a four-run defeat in the NatWest Pro40 Division One contest against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

Fletcher, who turns 21 on Friday, needed to hit the last two balls of the game, bowled by Will Gidman, for six but, after succeeding with his first attempt, he managed only a single to deep midwicket off the last delivery.

In a match reduced to 35 overs a side, Nottinghamshire finished on 220 for nine in reply to Durham's 224 for six, with Ben Harmison taking the man of the match award.

After playing no part in Durham's LV= County Championship triumph this season, the all-rounder hit 67 off 64 balls, then halted the visitors' brisk start with a spell of two wickets for 14 runs in five overs.

Harmison has been batting increasingly well in this competition but has tended to get out in the 20s. Today he progressed to his highest one-day score, beating the 57 he made against Nottinghamshire at the Riverside in 2006.

A six over long-on was the best of several clean strikes before he departed in the 31st over, stepping across to work Andy Carter to fine-leg and losing his leg stump.

Durham fielded only four members of the side which clinched the championship the previous day, including Phil Mustard, who launched their innings with 61 off 48 balls - his fifth half-century in seven attempts in this competition.

There were two stumpings for Bilal Shafayat, again deputising for the injured Chris Read.

Durham handed debuts in this competition to 18-year-old all-rounder Ben Stokes and 6ft 7in seamer Luke Evans, while Samit Patel's brother, Akhil, made his second appearance for the Outlaws.

Mark Wagh even outpaced Mustard en route to a 31-ball half-century which included two straight sixes, but from being in charge on 84 for one, the visitors slipped to 95 for four.

When Evans bowled the dangerous Andre Adams with the second ball of his second spell it looked the end of Nottinghamshire's challenge, but it was kept alive by the Patel brothers.

They put on 28 before Samit was brilliantly caught and bowled by Liam Plunkett for 36, then Akhil was well held by Scott Borthwick, running back under a steepler at midwicket, off Gidman.

Although Harmison was driven for two sixes by Fletcher in the 34th over, Durham hung on.