Barnard stars with bat and ball as Lees century is outdone

A sublime unbeaten 141 from Ed Barnard gave Warwickshire's qualification hopes in the Metro Bank One Day Cup a boost as his side beat Durham by four wickets, despite a magnificent century from Alex Lees.

Consistent wickets plagued Durham's innings, but the reliable Lees displayed a mix of grit and fluency to pick up a List A best of 148 and was well supported by Ben Raine (46) to get the home side to a total of 300 for eight.

Warwickshire got off to a shaky start, but skipper Barnard and Hamza Shaikh combined for a partnership worth 106 to give them the edge.

Shaikh was dismissed, but Barnard continued the charge and along with Michael Booth he took his side home with 14 balls to spare.

The visitors put Durham into bat at an overcast Banks Homes Riverside and they got their first early on as Ollie Robinson attempted to pull an Ethan Bamber short ball, but he mistimed it and Kai Smith made no mistake with the catch.

Will Rhodes then departed for 15 as he attempted a pull shot to a Bamber ball, but he got a nick on it and Smith clung on to it behind the stumps.

Emilio Gay should have been walking back to the pavilion early on, as he top edged a Booth short ball but a running Bamber couldn't cling on to it.

Gay then played a couple of delightful cover drives, but he then went for 26 as he pulled an Ed Barnard ball straight to Alex Davies on the boundary.

Lees remained solid in the face of consistent wickets and he swept a Taz Ali ball for four to reach fifty from 73 balls.

The opener then crunched consecutive Booth deliveries for four to build some much-needed momentum for the hosts.

Durham's struggles against the short ball continued as Colin Ackermann tried to lift a Booth short ball over Smith's head, but he didn't get enough on it and was caught behind for 23.

Youngster Robbie Bowman then went for one, as Taz Ali produced a beauty to dislodge his off-stump, while George Drissell went for seven caught behind off a Barnard ball.

Ben Raine came in and showed some intent, picking up 10 runs from two Rob Yates balls and Lees reached his century from 117 balls at the other end.

Lees then moved into T20 mode as he launched back-to-back Booth balls for six and Raine followed that up by smashing an Ali ball down the ground.

Raine departed at the hands of Hannon-Dalby for an entertaining 46, while Lees was run out on the last ball for an excellent 148 to take his side to 300 for eight.

Warwickshire started their chase of 301 with Barnard and Yates tasked with starting their chase.

Barnard played a lovely shot through point off the bowling of Mitch Killeen for four to put pressure on the hosts.

Raine got Yates for nine as the opener chopped one on to his off-stump, but Barnard continued to look good as he heaved a Sam Conners ball for six.

Malik then backed that up with a lovely lofted straight drive for four off Raine, but the Durham bowler struck back as Malik pulled a short ball straight into the hands of Conners.

Warwickshire then found themselves in a bit of trouble when Killeen got Davies LBW for seven.

That brought Hamza Shaikh to the crease and he hit Archie Bailey for two boundaries early on and Barnard brought up his half-century from 48 balls at the other end.

Barnard steadied the ship and punished a ball from Drissell, launching it down the ground for six and Shaikh got his first maximum as he heaved one over the long-on boundary.

The England Under-19s man then reached his fifty from 67 balls, but Raine got him caught in the deep next ball for 51.

It became a double salvo for Durham as Killeen got Smith for five, but Barnard notched up his century from 96 balls.

However, he was running out of partners as Vaansh Jani was removed by Drissell for 15.

Barnard was determined to bring the points back to Birmingham and he scooped a Conners ball for six to take them closer to the target.

Booth smashed a Raine short ball for six to give the visitors momentum and he backed that up with a four off Conners, he then won it with a six off the same bowler.