Durham hold on after Jennings ton

Keaton Jennings and Michael Richardson continued their superb form with a stand of 158 in to propel Durham to a 19-run Royal London Cup win against Northamptonshire at Chester-le-Street.

Northants' challenge looked to have ended when a brilliant stop and direct hit from extra cover by Paul Collingwood ran out Richard Levi for 66. But at 124 for 5 in reply to 291 for 7, Adam Rossington and Steven Crook revived them with a stand of 99 in 16 overs.

Rossington reached 50 off 43 balls and with 89 needed off ten the balance was tipping when he lofted the first two balls of a Chris Rushworth over for six over long-off and backward square. But on 69 he tried a scoop shot off Paul Coughlin and lost his middle stump, leaving Crook with too much to do. He holed out at deep midwicket for 48 in the 48th over and Northants finished on 272 for 8.

Jennings' second century of the competition took his aggregate to 403 from five games and Richardson boosted his tally to 351 by making 68.

Durham wobbled when both fell in quick succession and from 186 for 1 in the 34th over they lost momentum and slipped to 227 for 5. But it was picked up brilliantly by Collingwood with an unbeaten 53 off 43 balls as the last seven overs yielded 64.

Collingwood continued to have an impact as he bowled straight through his ten overs to take 1 for 47 and ran out Levi, who had slowed after bludgeoning a 45-ball half-century. His lack of fitness showed when he declined a second run the ball before he was out.

Durham made a cautious start after being put in under heavy cloud and Stephen Cook fell lbw to Ben Sanderson, the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 36.

The score had reached 79 after 20 overs when left-arm spinner Graeme White conceded only three in a tight first over. But his second cost 14 after Richardson picked him up him over the midwicket rope then pulled him for four. When Northants tried spin at the other end, Jennings on-drove Rob Keogh for his fifth four to reach 50 off 66 balls, one faster than his partner.

On 52 Richardson uppercut Richard Gleeson over third man for his second six and, at 159 after 30, 80 had come off the previous ten overs.

Jennings helped a poor ball from Sanderson to fine leg for his 13th four to reach his century off 105 balls. But then both batsmen departed. A firmly struck cut by Richardson lodged in the hands of White low down at backward point then Jennings tried to hit Sanderson down the ground and miscued to deep mid-on.