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Openers Gareth Roderick and Ed Pollock both hit centuries as Worcestershire launched their Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign with a comprehensive 183-run victory over Middlesex.
Roderick scored 115 in a first-wicket stand of 259, but his efforts were surpassed by Pollock, whose career-best 180 from 138 balls provided the backbone of a haul of 371 for three in the Group A fixture at New Road, which was reduced to 48 overs per side following a rain delay.
Middlesex, who had won the toss and opted to field, never looked like chasing down the 372 required after losing top three Sam Robson, Joe Cracknell and Nathan Fernandes – who had earlier taken two for 79 – by the seventh over.
Indeed, captain Mark Stoneman’s 75 was the only contribution of note as they were bowled out for 188 in 25.4 overs with Harry Darley, Jack Home and Tommy Sturgess taking three wickets each.
Josh Bohannon’s heroics counted for nothing as Lancashire slipped to a 57-run defeat by Durham with almost five overs to spare.
Bohannon fell three runs short of 150 at Sedbergh School as the visitors mounted an ultimately-vain attempt to better Durham’s 344 for four.
The hosts, who had chosen to bat, were indebted to opener Alex Lees, who finished with 111 after he and Bas De Leede, who made 72, had put on 129 for the second wicket.
While Ben McKinney with 43, Colin Ackermann with a 33-ball 59 – which included five sixes and four boundaries – and Michael Jones with an unbeaten 41, pushed the total well beyond 300.
But Bohannon’s efforts apart, Lancashire rarely looked like getting there as De Leede and Ackermann each finished with three wickets.
Zak Chappell starred with bat and ball as Derbyshire edged to a two-wicket win over Northamptonshire with eight balls remaining at the County Ground.
Number nine Chappell, who had taken four for 39 after skipper Samit Patel had put the home side in, scored 94 not out in a winning total of 236 for eight.
Half-centuries from Emilio Gay and George Bartlett had earlier dug the hosts out of a hole after they had slumped to 63 for three, and they eventually went on to make a modest 235 all out in 47 overs with Saif Zaib contributing 42.
There were fireworks too in Group B, where Warwickshire skipper Ed Barnard smashed an unbeaten 173 to lead his side to a seven-wicket victory over Essex at Chelmsford.
Barnard, who hit four sixes and 17 fours, and wicket-keeper Michael Burgess (59 not out) put together an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 121 to ease the visitors past their target of 325 with 14 balls to spare, their highest-successful List A chase.
Earlier, Nick Browne’s 75 and 69 from Charlie Allison had helped Essex reach 324 for seven despite Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s return of three for 69 after they had been put in.
Reigning champions Leicestershire opened their defence with a 15-run rain-affected win over Nottinghamshire at Grace Road.
Skipper Lewis Hill top-scored for the holders as his 81 was accompanied by 75 from opener Sol Budinger and 71 from number four Ajinkya Rahane in a total of 369 for six after the visitors – for whom Lyndon James claimed three for 105 – had elected to field.
Nottinghamshire’s response, however, was interrupted by the weather after they had reached 50 without loss and although they retired openers Ben Slater and Freddie McCann after being set a revised target of 105 from 14 overs, they managed only 89 for six with Tom Scriven helping himself to three for 20.
