Hales and Hussey overpower Durham

Nottinghamshire 213 for 4 beat Durham 159 by 54 runs
Scorecard

Nottinghamshire Outlaws extended their lead at the top of the Friends Life t20 North Group as they thrashed Durham Dynamos by 54 runs.

Alex Hales (67 from 39 balls) and skipper David Hussey (54 not out) were the star performers with the bat as Nottinghamshire racked up 213 for 4 after winning the toss - the highest score against Durham in the history of the competition.

Steven Mullaney then took 3 for 26, including Durham captain Phil Mustard for 29, as the visitors lost five wickets inside the opening nine overs and were eventually bowled out for 159, Gareth Breese top-scoring with 34.

In front of England selector James Whitaker, Hales was once again hugely impressive, striking eight crisp fours as he got the Notts innings off to a flying start in partnership with Riki Wessels.

Wessels made 31 before he was lbw to Chris Rushworth, and Adam Voges kept up the momentum while making sure Hales was given as much of the strike as possible. The pair put on 72 in just over seven overs before Voges was adjudged to have feathered an attempted pull off Liam Plunkett to wicketkeeper Mustard for 39 off 24 balls.

Hussey was straight in the action, hitting his fourth ball for a straight six, and although Hales and Samit Patel were both bowled by Mitch Claydon, Hussey continued to smash the Durham attack to all parts. He brought up his half-century - from just 24 balls - with his fourth six off the final ball of the innings from Liam Plunkett.

Needing more than 10 runs an over, Durham had no option but to swing hard from the start and did not enjoy the luck they needed to pull off an unlikely chase. Gordon Muchall drove to cover in the second over and with four further top order wickets falling in five overs, Durham's hopes were all but extinguished.

Breese hit a breezy 34 but was then caught at short third-man off Andy Carter, with Darren Pattinson finishing off the tail as he claimed 3 for 33.