WORCESTERSHIRE boosted their NatWest T20 Blast campaign with a three-run win against North Group leaders Durham at Chester-le-Street tonight.

The County are just two points off the top in sixth position after Pakistan star Saeed Ajmal followed up half-centuries by captain Daryl Mitchell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore with 3-16 off four overs.

Promising 20-year-old Kohler-Cadmore hit 53 not out from only 34 balls with six fours as Worcestershire finished their 20 overs on 159-5.

Skipper Mitchell top-scored with 56 but made slower progress off 49 balls and only managed four boundaries.

Mitchell shared in a 38-run opening stand with Moeen Ali before the England international departed for 26.

Moeen faced 20 balls, striking three fours and a six, but was snaffled by Keaton Jennings off Chris Rushworth.

Richard Oliver continued to struggle with just two off six balls before being caught by Rushworth off ex-England ace Paul Collingwood on 50.

Kohler-Cadmore joined Mitchell for a 76-run third-wicket stand with the captain eventually finding Calum MacLeod in the field when up against Usman Arshad.

Ross Whiteley could not find his big-hitting form as he fell lbw to seamer Arshad (2-20) from his first delivery.

New Zealander Colin Munro chipped in with 10 from eight balls until he was run-out by MacLeod on 146.

However, Kohler-Cadmore completed his half-century and carried the County to 159, aided by Ben Cox (2no) and eight Durham wides.

Durham wasted little time in pursuing the target with their openers, led by captain Mark Stoneman’s six fours and one six, battering 40 runs off the first three overs.

In their opening overs, Jack Shantry went for 10, Joe Leach for nine and teenager Ed Barnard a punishing 19.

But Ajmal slowed down the hosts with a maiden over and Shantry had Stoneman caught by Kohler-Cadmore for 35 off only 14 balls.

Opener Phil Mustard blasted a six off Ajmal and spinner Moeen could not stem the flow of runs.

But Mitchell intervened by bowling MacLeod (13) with the score on 79-2 approaching the halfway stage of Durham’s innings.

He then bowled danger man Collingwood for a golden duck but Gordon Muchall survived the hat-trick ball.

Durham pushed forward with a 31-run partnership only for Kohler-Cadmore to take his second catch with the key 14th-over dismissal of Mustard off Ajmal for 43 off 40 balls.

Ajmal swooped again on 112 by having Ryan Pringle stumped for one. With Durham needing 45 runs to win off the last five overs, they struggled to score boundaries.

John Hastings (4) was run-out by Munro and Arshad (6) became Ajmal’s third victim when caught by Whiteley.

Durham required 32 runs off the final 12 balls but even Muchall’s first four and six from the last over by Shantry could only take them to 156-7.

Mitchell took 2-23 off three overs as Muchall finished on 41no off 28 balls.

Worcestershire host Warwickshire in LV= County Championship Division One from Sunday at New Road (11am).