Matt Montgomery‘s heroics were in vain as Durham beat Derbyshire Falcons by six runs in a thrilling Vitality Blast North Group game at the Co-op County Ground Derby.

Montgomery’s unbeaten 74 from 45 balls looked to have won it but Matthew Potts held his nerve in a dramatic final over to get Durham over the line.

Chasing 204, the Falcons fell just short on 197 for 8 with Potts bowling three dot balls to close the game out.

Durham’s 203 for 8 was built around 54 off 28 balls from Alex Lees and Ollie Robinson‘s 48 from 24 with spinner Jack Morley taking 3 for 35.

After Durham were put in, Lees took three sixes off Montgomery’s off spin as the visitors plundered 67 from the powerplay.

Lees raced to 50 from 26 balls and looked set for a destructive innings until he cut Ben Aitchison to point in the 8th over to end a stand of 77 off 44 balls with Graham Clark.

The Falcons stalled their momentum in the 9th when Clark sliced Morley to short third man and Ben Raine pulled the next ball straight to deep midwicket.

Durham slipped to 94 for 3 at the halfway point and Morley claimed another big wicket by having David Bedingham caught at long on..

Morley had pulled it back Robinson responded by launching Ross Whiteley for three sixes with 27 coming off the 15th over.

Robinson pulled Nick Potts for another six but the seamer hit back by removing Colin Ackermann and Will Rhodes, 188 for 6 at the end of the 18th.

Durham’s ambitions were dented again when Robinson chipped Akif Javed to mid off and disciplined Falcons bowling restricted the visitors to 39 off the last five overs.

Aneurin Donald began the chase by driving Matt Potts for two sixes but Callum Parkinson trapped the Falcons skipper lbw with his first ball.

Martin Andersson was looking dangerous until he was caught behind trying to ramp Potts and Caleb Jewell missed a cut at Raine’s first ball.

After the powerplay the hosts were 62 for 3 and Wayne Madsen went in the eighth over when he drove Ackermann to long on.

Whiteley was dropped on five by Raine and that looked significant when he took three sixes off Nathan Sowter and Parkinson.

Whiteley and Montgomery added 70 from 44 balls but Parkinson removed Whiteley and Amrit Basra in the 16th over before the game took another twist in the final over.

With 18 needed, Montgomery took 10 off the first two balls from Potts who then bowled him with a no ball but the England paceman showed skill and character to win the game.