Lancashire Annihilate Durham in T20 Opener with Aspinwall's Debut Delight

Lancashire's T20 debutant Tom Aspinwall made a remarkable impact, claiming 4 for 18 as the Red Rose annihilated Durham by nine wickets in their Vitality Blast opener at Emirates Old Trafford.

Aspinwall's impressive performance was complemented by Jack Blatherwick's 3 for 14, as Steven Croft's side put their Championship struggles behind them to chase down Durham's paltry 75 in just eight overs.

Durham's batting woes began early, losing four top-order batters within the first six overs. Alex Lees, Ollie Robinson, and Graham Clark fell cheaply, while Ben Raine's 12 runs came solely from boundaries before he was caught and bowled by Blatherwick.

Aspinwall then removed Ashton Turner and Michael Jones in quick succession, leaving Durham reeling on 31 for six. Ackermann's dismissal to Aspinwall and Potts' catch to Croft further depleted Durham's innings.

Blatherwick claimed the eighth and ninth wickets, with Green taking the final catch to end Nathan Sowter's resistance. Ben Dwarshuis and Callum Parkinson added some respectability with a 19-run last-wicket stand, but Wood ended their innings with Dwarshuis' dismissal.

In contrast to Durham's struggles, Lancashire's batters dominated from the outset. Luke Wells smashed three sixes in his 49 not out, while George Bell contributed an elegant 22 not out.

The game concluded in just 90 minutes, marking a memorable evening for Croft, who played his 239th T20 match in his 19th season as a professional.

Tags: #Lancashire, #Durham, #VitalityBlast, #T20, #TomAspinwall