Chris Rushworth warns woeful Durham batting efforts must change

Durham were bowled out for a paltry 90 in a rain-affected Royal London One-Day Cup contest against Worcestershire Rapids at the Emirates Riverside.

The visitors top the North Group table in the Natwest T20 Blast and blew Durham away comprehensively in this 22-over contest.

Only two home batsmen reached double figures in a total of 90 all out, the seventh-lowest List A total in the club’s history.

The Rapids bowled exceptionally after electing to field first on a surface conducive to bowling, with four bowlers each picking up two wickets.

Victory was rarely in doubt and despite three early Rushworth wickets, they reached their target with 17 balls remaining.

It’s the fourth poor batting performance in five white ball games for Durham, and ahead of Wednesday’s clash against an in-form Nottinghamshire side, Rushworth had harsh words for his team-mates.

”We fell a long way short,” he said. “The game was reduced but to be bowled out for 90 in 22 overs is not good enough, it has to be better next time.

“It was good conditions to bowl in but you have to find a way to get through a tough spell and get runs on the board.

“We need to be able to build an innings through the middle, you have to consolidate sometimes, you can’t play the big shots all the time, so things have to change next time.

“The guys have accepted something has to change, whether that’s the way we approach or the way guys practice, something has to change for Wednesday because we’re playing against a side that has put 400 on in the last couple of innings they have played.”

A catastrophic run out by Phil Mustard in the fourth over, charging to the non-strikers end while Mark Stoneman stood his ground, set off an all-too familiar Durham batting collapse.

From 24-0, they slumped to 46-5 as they struggled to get to grips with conditions and the seam movement of the quick bowlers.

Graham Clark was excellently caught by wicketkeeper Ben Cox, Scott Borthwick chopped on after being surprised by extra bounce while Stoneman and Keaton Jennings fell to Ed Barnard, the former beaten by a terrific delivery which just clipped about the bails.

Paul Collingwood staged a lone recovery through the middle overs but soon came under pressure from the scoreboard, with Durham managing only five boundaries in their entire innings.

Fellow all-rounder Ryan Pringle, fresh from a maiden century at Derbyshire during the week, threatened to offer resistance before he knocked an easy catch back to Brett D’Oliveira.

And the 40-year-old eventually holed out in an attempt to up the scoring rate, becoming the eighth wicket on 88 as they limped to 90 inside the final over.

Rushworth’s new ball spell of 3-19 did offer Durham hope, trapping Tom Kohler-Cadmore lbw in the first over before removing the off stump of both Leach and Joe Clarke.

But the lack of scoreboard pressure allowed the batsmen to settle in as D’Oliveira and Alexei Kervezee’s partnership of 60 saw them ease home.