PHIL Mustard launched Durham's innings in blistering style to allow them to coast to a NatWest T20 Blast win against Lancashire at Old Trafford last night.

After bowling and fielding well to restrict the title-holders to 149 for eight, Mustard opened up with four fours and a six off the first five balls of the reply.

Off-spinner Arron Lilley was the victim and there was no let-up in the next over as both Mustard and Mark Stoneman smashed sixes off seamer Kyle Jarvis.

With 43 on the board, Stoneman was caught on the third man boundary off the first ball of the third over, but Mustard hit another huge six over mid-wicket in scorching to 43 off 12 balls.

He added only three more runs in six balls before a leading edge off former Surrey paceman George Edwards had him caught. But Graham Clark took up the cudgels with two sixes in an over off Stephen Parry.

He was out for 36 off 27 balls, but Michael Richardson's unbeaten 34 carried Durham to a six-wicket win with five overs to spare.

Mustard, who is out of contract at the end of the season, became only the second man, after Kent's Darren Stevens, to pass 3,000 runs in English T20 cricket.

While Durham continue without an overseas man, Lancashire were too reliant on New Zealander Martin Guptill, who scored 72 off 46 balls before he was fifth out with the score on 106 in the 13th over.

The only other batsman to make more than ten was Steven Croft, who laboured for 24 balls to make 21 without finding the boundary.

Durham brought in Paul Collingwood for Calum MacLeod in the only change from the team beaten at Worcester.

Keeping faith with Barry McCarthy paid dividends as he took three for 23. After recording Durham's most expensive T20 analysis on his debut last week he conceded 13 off his first over but came back strongly.

Collingwood also proved his worth with one of three excellent catches Durham held off towering shots, plus the run out of Lilley when he had one stump to aim at from point.

Lively bowling by Usman Arshad gave Durham a good start after they chose to field on a sunny evening.

Generating impressive pace, Arshad struck twice in two balls in the third over. Alviro Petersen was well caught at deep square leg by Paul Coughlin then Karl Brown edged to Mustard.

That brought in Jos Buttler to join Guptill, both having recently returned from modest performances in the Indian Premier League.

Buttler made ten off eight balls, which included a ramped four off Arshad before handing him his third wicket by skying a catch into the off-side.

After Lancashire reached 57 at the end of the six overs of powerplay Collingwood came on and conceded only 11 off his first two overs.

Once Guptill had reached 50 off 34 balls he cut loose, pulling Collingwood for four before lifting the next ball just short of the rope in front of mid-wicket.

Things were looking ominous when the boundary was cleared comfortably off the first ball of the next over, bowled by Scott Borthwick.

As Collingwood prepared to bowl his final over skipper Mark Stoneman decided to recall McCarthy, who had twice been pulled for four by Guptill.

It proved a good move as Croft scored two and one before Guptill went for a big hit and lofted a catch which was well held by Borthwick.

Having conceded 12 in his first over, Borthwick's next three cost only 15 and as Lancashire kept losing wickets they added only 43 in the last seven overs.

Once Durham had equalled that off the first two the result was never in doubt.