Alex Lees‘s swashbuckling 108 in 61 balls – a Vitality Blast career best saw Durham return to winning ways with a 100-run humbling of hosts Middlesex at Richmond.

The former England Test opener plundered four sixes and 11 fours before falling to the penultimate ball of the innings as Durham racked up 218 for 6. Despite going wicketless Zafar Gohar emerged from the mauling with credit, taking 0 for 26.

Middlesex were never in the hunt in reply, their fate effectively sealed in the first 16 balls as they slumped to 14 for 3 on route to 118 all out. Leus du Plooy top scored with 34, Ben Raine (3 for 17) England quick Matt Potts (3 for 18), and Kassey Aldridge (3 for 38) sharing the wickets.

Graham Clark hit the game’s first six but holed out trying to repeat the shot, before Lees took centre-stage.

Eathan Bosch was deposited over midwicket for six before the shot of the day saw Lees hit Morgan straight back over his head and beyond the ropes. Further cuts and pulls took him to 50 in just 27 balls and there was little sign of him slowing down thereafter, a third six arriving as he closed in on his century.

There was one heart in mouth moment as he survived a huge lbw shout from Luke Hollman on 99, but the deserved century arrived to the next ball he received. A thin top edge through to wicketkeeper Joe Cracknell denied him red ink, but this was a special innings.

Others played cameos in support, with Ben McKinney (26), Ollie Robinson (29) and Colin Ackerman with 18 from only six deliveries helping the visitors well beyond 200.

Faced with chasing 219, Middlesex needed a strong powerplay but things went wrong from the off. Cracknell fell to the second ball of the innings from Potts before Raine struck twice in three balls to see the back of Max Holden and Matt Boyle, the first from a steepling top edge the second holing out at deep square.

Ben Geddes perished too before the end of the powerplay, Ollie Robinson racing back from his position at wicketkeeper to brilliantly hold a swirling catch dropping over his head a few yards from the boundary rope.

Skipper Leus du Plooy stood defiantly for while amid the carnage, hitting a glorious straight six into the sightscreen he and Josh De Caires fell in the space of four balls the end was in sight.