FIRST-TEAM coach Alex Gidman praised a “great win from nowhere” after Worcestershire Rapids stunned Durham in the Vitality Blast.

Rapids managed to defend a total of 117-7 on a slow wicket despite Durham reaching 79-0 in the 12th over at the Emirates Riverside.

Three wickets in six balls opened the door for Wayne Parnell, Dillon Pennington and Pat Brown to turn the screw in the ‘death’ overs as the home side closed on 114-6.

REPORT | RAPIDS STUN DURHAM WITH REMARKABLE THREE-RUN VICTORY

The three-run victory has moved the holders back into second spot – two points ahead of Notts Outlaws, who have a game in hand.

“It was a tough wicket and had to hang in the game for as long as possible, which is a skill of ours, and then finished it off with some quality bowling at the very end,” Gidman said.

“It was one of those games where it looked like it was out of our hands and then, from nowhere, we clutched a win, so an amazing result.

“It was a great win from nowhere.

“Credit to the lads for hanging in there and getting it to that point because it did look at one stage as if the game was going to be finished in 13-14 overs.

“But we showed great spirit and determination just to keep in the game.

“In the four games we’d won before tonight, in three of them, a top four batsman had got a fifty plus score.

“In most games of T20, you need one guy to get a considerable score and we didn’t quite get that tonight.

“But the fact two or three guys did get started was the difference between a winning score and something that was never going to win.”