MISERLY bowling by Gareth Breese allowed Durham pull an unlikely three-run victory out of the flames lit by Sanath Jarasuriya at Worcester last night.

The veteran Sri Lankan threatened to make a mockery of Durham’s total of 144 for six, but Breese removed him for 45 as his off-spin brought about an extraordinary turnaround.

Albie Morkel, whose first three balls had been hit for four, six, six by Jayasuriya, returned for the final over with 14 needed. With the help of a catch and a run-out, he restricted the hosts to ten as Worcestershire finished on 141 for eight and Durham ended their run of five defeats.

Will Smith’s season took another unexpected twist when his less orthodox successor as captain had him bowling the first over of the innings.

The crowd might have wondered if Durham were still taking the competition seriously after slipping below their hosts to prop up the northern group.

Phil Mustard’s decision was vindicated as occasional offspinner Smith conceded only two runs in the first over then Jarasuriya casually used the pace of Steve Harmison to lift a six over point.

Age has seemingly not diminished the Sri Lankan’s wristy artistry and in the fifth over the little left-hander effortlessly flicked Morkel’s first two balls behind square for four and six.

The next ball was picked up over mid-wicket for another six, but after reaching 51 in the sixth over Worcestershire lost three wickets for five runs, two of them in Breese’s first over. After making 45 off 29 balls Jarasuriya was lbw on the back foot with the ball turning just enough to defeat him and stay on course for the stumps.

Breese persuaded another left-hander, Moeen Ali, to spoon a catch to cover and he took a third wicket when Alexei Kervezee lofted to deep mid-wicket.

Breese had conceded only eight runs in 3.5 overs until home skipper Vikram Solanki drove his last ball for a straight six.

When Solanki fell for 25, lofting Ben Harmison to deep cover, Worcesteshire were really up against it and with both Harmison brothers bowling well at a key stage Durham hung on.

Durham handed a Twenty20 debut to Mark Stoneman, who replaced Ian Blackwell at the top of the order. The official word was that Blackwell was rested, although it is felt that his lack of athleticism in the field can be costly in this form of cricket.

Liam Plunkett was ruled out by a groin injury so Neil Killeen retained his place.

Durham were put in and Mustard was out for his fifth single figure score of this season’s competition, in which he has made only one half-century.

When he tried to hit leftarmer Jack Shantry through the off side and got a bottom edge into his stumps Durham were eight for one after three overs.

The next three produced 31 runs as the gamble of persisting with Ben Stokes at No 3 paid off, partly because he had the benefit of facing young seamers Imran Arif and Shantry at the start of his innings.

Stokes and Stoneman put on 85 in ten overs in an effective blend of the young righthander’s power and the lefthander’s timing and placement.

Either side of making 20 not out in the home defeat by Nottinghamshire, Stokes had totalled 26 runs in his last six T20 innings, usually falling to spin.

When Jarasuriya came on for the seventh over, spearing in his supposed left-arm spin from round the wicket, he began with three dot balls before Stokes launched him over mid-wicket for six.

A wide produced the only other run off the over and with Moeen Ali purveying his off-spin at the other end the run rate dropped.

But off the first two balls of the tenth over Stokes drove Ali straight down the ground for four and a huge six, which cleared the TV gantry by the Basil D’Oliveira Stand. Dolly himself would have been mighty proud of the blow.

Stoneman kept pace with Stokes, cleverly turning the medium pace of Zimababweborn James Cameron past the fielder at short fine leg for four.

After being dropped at longon on 36, Stokes fell for 44 when a more difficult chance in the same position was held by Ali Then Solanki introduced his own off spin. Stoneman went down the pitch to hit him wide of long-off for a four with a well-controlled shot, but when he tried a repeat the ball turned to beat him and he was stumped for 46.

Dale Benkenstein, still struggling to time the ball, failed the find the boundary in making 12 off 16 balls before he was run out in the 19th over. Morkel drove the ball fiercely back to the bowler, Jarasuriya, who turned to throw down the stumps with Benkenstein out of his ground.

Morkel, who played well for 24, drove to extra cover two balls later as the last two overs yielded only 13 runs. It didn’t look enough, but Breese ensured that it was.