Tom Kohler-Cadmore's 85* underpins strong Yorkshire display

Yorkshire Vikings earned a vital 29-run win in the Vitality Blast North Group against Durham as Tom Kohler-Cadmore took centre stage with an unbeaten knock of 85 at Emirates Riverside. Kohler-Cadmore exploded after a steady start, scoring five sixes in his brilliant innings. Will Fraine added a blistering knock of 36 in the latter overs to propel the Vikings to a formidable total of 198 for 3 from their 20 overs.

Graham Clark offered resistance for the home side with a half-century of his own. However, no other Durham batsman could match his intensity as Josh Poysden tore through the line-up with three wickets, while David Willey also took three scalps to bowl out the hosts for 169. Yorkshire secured their second victory of the competition, boosting their hopes of qualification from the North Group, while Durham remain winless after five matches.

Adam Lyth took the initiative in the early overs of the innings, dispatching two boundaries from Brydon Carse's first over. Matt Potts made the breakthrough when Lyth went for a swing towards the leg side, but was caught a deep midwicket by Liam Trevaskis. Kohler-Cadmore made a slow start to the innings, but was able to up the ante by striking his first six in the sixth over. Yorkshire built a solid platform reaching 51 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay, which allowed Kohler-Cadmore license to attack.

He clubbed Trevaskis straight back over his head for a maximum and then sent the next over the rope. The opener and Joe Root put on fifty for the second wicket in the ninth over from only 30 balls. Root deployed the sweep to great success against the spinners, but his attempt to clear the rope against Paul Coughlin resulted in his dismissal for 25. Kohler-Cadmore continued his assault and reached a 33-ball fifty in style, hammering the ball into the car park for his fourth maximum. Harry Brook kept the pressure on the Durham bowlers, quickly finding his range with 23 from 12 before he was caught at third man off Coughlin.

The Vikings' maintained their impetus as Kohler-Cadmore continued to clear the rope down the ground. Fraine played a gem of a knock in the closing overs, easing the burden on his skipper. He blasted 36 from only 15 deliveries, including three sixes, to set the home side a daunting total of 199 to chase to register their first win of the season.

Clark responded for Durham with three boundaries from Willey's opening overs before dispatching Matthew Fisher into the pavilion with a huge six. Through the striking of Clark, the home side raced to their fifty at the end of the fifth over. The openers continued to get on top of the Yorkshire bowlers, refusing to let them settle.

Clark reached his second fifty of the season from 26 balls, but the opening stand was broken by Root on 77 when Lees was caught at deep backward square leg for 24. Poysden stunted Durham's progress with the wicket of Ben Raine, which pushed the required rate up above 10 per over. Clark guided the home side past the 100-run mark, but his attempt to hammer Root down the ground resulted in his dismissal stumped for 68.

The chase was left in the hands of David Bedingham and Farhaan Behardien, but the boundaries were beginning to dry up for hosts. Bedingham's attempt to cut loose against Matthew Pillans saw him pick out Fisher on the fence. Poysden handed Yorkshire control of the contest by removing Berhardien and Carse, and Willey returned to claim two wickets in two balls before adding a third in the final over to allow the Vikings to ease over the line, putting them back in contention in the North Group.