Benjamin inspires Bears fightback; Sussex add to Kent woes

Chris Benjamin's impressive half-century ignited a Birmingham Bears fightback as they clinched a five-wicket Vitality Blast victory over Durham at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Chasing the visitors' 158-9, the Bears were wobbling at 36-4 before Benjamin seized control with 68 not out, from 36 balls with six fours and four sixes, in a stand of 85 in 42 balls with Adam Hose (29).

Durham chose to bat but 158 looked below par on a good batting pitch. Only Paul Coughlin (40 from 33 balls) and Michael Jones (21) passed 20 while Henry Brookes took 3-38, Danny Briggs two for 23 and Craig Miles two for 29.

Brydon Carse then struck twice early on to put the Bears under pressure before Benjamin decided the game with a display of power hitting which peaked with an assault of 37 from nine successive balls as the Bears reached 162-5 from 16.5 overs.

Having been reduced to 36-4 in reply, the Bears got over the line behind Benjamin's 22-ball half-century and an unbeaten 23 from skipper Carlos Brathwaite at number seven to finish things off.

Reigning Vitality Blast champions Kent fell to their third straight defeat as Tom Alsop's unbeaten 65 from 30 balls in his first T20 innings led Sussex to their first victory of the campaign at the County Ground on Sunday.

Alsop, on loan from Hampshire, hauled the Sharks up to 171-5 and the home side then ran out winners by four runs as the Spitfires reached 167 for seven in reply.

Kent's margin of defeat was only as small as it was because George Linde took 22 runs from the final over, bowled by George Garton, including a last-ball six over long on, to end on a remarkable unbeaten 13-ball 38.

Ravi Bopara picked up 2-23 from his four overs, though it was Alsop's earlier surge with the bat that proved