Onions, Stokes earn Durham 11-run victory

Durham moved up to second place in the LV= County Championship as they clinched a thrilling 11-run win against Warwickshire at Chester-le-Street.

Needing 257, the visitors were 146 for 7 when Jeetan Patel went in and got the target down to 25 in a stand of 86 with Ateeq Javid. But the last three wickets would go down for 13 runs as Durham prevailed.

Ben Stokes took the final one when he had Boyd Rankin lbw, but the previous two went to Graham Onions, who finished with 5 for 83. He broke the partnership when he had Javid well caught at second slip by Scott Borthwick for 44, then Patel went for a big hit and lofted a catch to long-on.

The New Zealander had just completed his second half-century and looked like being the match-winner as he also took vital wickets in both innings. A section of Durham fans were glad to see the back of Javid because they felt he had stepped on the rope on the square leg boundary when holding the catch which ended the Durham innings.

The remaining two home wickets had added 46 to take the total to 198 when Michael Richardson, who had made an excellent 55, tried to pull Rankin for six. Video evidence showed Javid's foot was above the rope but he did not appear to have touched it.

This week has been mentally and physically draining!amazing feeling to win. This team has unbelievable character & drive for each other

— Graham Onions (@BunnyOnions) June 14, 2013

Warwickshire needed 257 as a result and several batsmen were out to poor strokes, although both Tim Ambrose and Rikki Clarke were bowled by Stokes during a sustained 14-over spell before tea.

Varun Chopra fell lbw to Onions for 18, playing across the line, and two overs later Will Porterfield was bowled through an airy drive. Jim Troughton slapped an Onions long hop straight to Stokes at point and Ian Westwood chased a wide one from Mark Wood, edging to Phil Mustard.

Javid dug in to support Ambrose, who looked capable of winning the game as he made 46 until he was bowled by a superb yorker from Stokes. Durham gave Will Smith's off spin an airing and Keith Barker took a step down the track and hit a catch straight to midwicket.

Smith was left on after tea, when 81 were needed, and Patel lashed three successive balls to the off-side boundary. He looked certain to win the game, but lost his cool once Javid had gone and gave a simple catch to Keaton Jennings.

With 22 needed, Chris Wright hit the next two balls for four, but Stokes summoned the strength to complete Durham's fourth win of the season.