Ameer strikes to send Whiteleas and Harton top

Opting to bat first, Whiteleas lost openers Ray McRae and Andrew Potts early and looked in trouble at 21-2.

Things turned from bad to worse as the visitors tore through the top order, leaving the home side floundering on 38-5.

However, a brilliant captains innings from Owen Peterson ensured his side were back in the game, as he and Abdul Ameer (40) put on a 132-run partnership.

The skipper hit 10 fours and two sixes in a superb innings of 90 before departing in the 45th over.

A quick-fire 21 from Alex Thomas edged Whiteleas to 199 all out in the 49th over.

In their reply, Durham flew out of the traps through the impressive Jacob McCann, reaching 70 from just 16 overs before Rob Scorer captured the prized wicket of the prolific Australian.

Durham continued to score freely and at 122-1 the game was still strongly in their favour.

However, Whiteleas’ overseas star Ameer had other ideas.

Returning for his second spell, a blistering six overs changed the shape of the game completely as he ripped through the visitors batting department.

Backed up by the impressive Chris Nichol (2-17), the Pakistani paceman finished with figures of 5-41 from his 12 overs to leave Durham stranded on 143-9.

With one wicket to capture to win the game and with three overs remaining, the visitors made it tough through some tail-end resilience.

In a dramatic last over of the game, Whiteleas went into jubilation as Alex Thomas, celebrating his 21st birthday, trapped Moralee leg-before, resulting in a 56 run win, sending them top of the league by one point.

The Second XI lost their first game of the season when they went down by seven wickets at Durham City.

Well worked innings from Nav Singh (72) and Sid Corner Jnr (42) weren’t enough as the home side knocked off 190 for the loss of just two wickets.