McClenaghan's debut turns out rosy

What threatened to be a terrible Lancashire debut for New Zealander Mitchell McClenaghan turned into a triumph as the Red Rose clinched a nine-run win in their opening Friends Life t20 match against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

McClenaghan began with a wide and conceded 21 in two overs as Durham raced to 53 without loss in the sixth over in reply to 165 for 3. Then both openers fell in successive balls and the momentum vanished. But Ben Stokes picked it up again and when McClenaghan returned he drove the first ball over long-on for six.

At that point Durham needed 41 off 23 balls but McClenaghan derailed them by picking up three wickets, including that of Stokes after he made 34 off 26 balls, and Durham finished on 156 for 8.

After rain had fallen until mid-afternoon, Lancashire were put in and opener Stephen Moore overcame a scratchy start to make 75 off 58 balls. He was run out with two balls left when Simon Katich declined a second run to long-off but the Australian had also played a big part, hitting three leg-side sixes in his unbeaten 43 off 25 balls.

Durham included two young spinners in Ryan Pringle, the only bowler to take a wicket as he picked up 2 for 24, and 20-year-old left-armer Max Morley, making his senior debut. The latter's first two overs cost only 13 but then Katich got after him and he finished with none for 41.

Excellent death bowling by Stokes and Chris Rushworth restricted Lancashire to 13 off the last two overs and they did not look to have enough as Mark Stoneman and Phil Mustard launched the reply.

But Mustard then played the ball square on the off side and declined the run, only for Stoneman to fail to get back as Steven Croft hit the stumps. Mustard tried to turn Glen Chapple's next ball to leg and gloved it to wicketkeeper Gareth Cross.

Paul Collingwood spent 22 balls making 19 before falling lbw when trying to pull left-arm spinner Stephen Parry.

Durham needed 72 off the last six overs and Stokes kept them on target, hitting three sixes. But his departure left the rest with too much to do as McClenaghan finished with three for 35.