DURHAM bowed out of the Royal London Cup when they lost by 28 runs in their final group game against Lancashire at Chester-le-Street.

South African Dane Vilas's second century of the series took the visitors to 304 for eight and Durham replied with 276 for nine.

Neither side made progress. Durham could have gone ahead of Nottinghamshire into third place, but the one point the Outlaws gained from a washout at Northampton ended Lancashire's hopes.

Paul Collingwood's three wickets saw Lancashire stumble to 126 for four after a good start, but Vilas's onslaught helped them to gather 135 runs from the last 15 overs, compared with 76 off the previous 15.

The second 50 in his 83-ball century came off 26 balls and his fifth-wicket stand of 118 in 16 overs with Steven Croft proved crucial.

Paul Coughlin and James Weighell proved expensive, dropping shot too often. But Lancashire did not make the same mistake.

The accuracy of Kyle Jarvis was rewarded when he knocked back Keaton Jennings' off stump then Stephen Cook edged James Anderson to slip.

Graham Clark contributed 32 to a stand of 57 in ten overs with Michael Richardson before picking up Danny Lamb to deep square leg, where Karl Brown back-pedalled to hold a one-handed catch high to his right.

On 35, Richardson had to send for a runner and shortly afterwards Collingwood was slow to respond after playing the ball to short third man. He was run out for 20, and Richardson went for broke, taking 16 off an over from Anderson before inside-edging Stephen Parry into his stumps for 58.

There were brief flurries from all the middle order and the last-wicket pair added 44. But Durham never looked likely to get close.